


Lady Beckett?

by elenapadmeamidala



Category: Pirates of the Caribbean (Movies)
Genre: Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-12
Updated: 2020-03-29
Packaged: 2020-05-02 03:02:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 14
Words: 28,187
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19190617
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elenapadmeamidala/pseuds/elenapadmeamidala
Summary: "And what becomes of Ms. Swan?""What interest is she to you?"During all his years of service to the East India Trading Company no woman had caught his interest. But seeing Elizabeth Swan almost being married to some pirating commoner sets his blood ablaze. He wants her to be his and his alone.





	1. Chapter 1

Darkness had fallen over Port Royal. The parting day had seen many things: The successful escape of the governor’s daughter and her father’s immediate imprisonment. The man currently inside the abandoned manor was clad in modern high quality garment with rich embroidery. His entire demeanour screamed power and wealth. He had heard of Governor Swann’s daughter before but had never paid any attention to it. To him she only had been another bored spoiled brat. When the news of Jack Sparrow’s whereabouts and of his escape reached him he knew he would have great fun. More surprising had been when he heard that the governor’s daughter had helped him escape.

The report of Sparrow also told that Elizabeth Swann had been captured by pirates and was eventually found with Sparrow on a deserted island because she had torched all supplies of rum hidden on the island by smugglers. But somehow this intelligent young woman had used her feminine persuasion to twist the commodore around her fingers.

When Beckett had arrived in Port Royal he had expected a young woman with a very twisted sense of justice and limited beauty. How wrong he had been! The woman he had seen waiting for her future husband was a rare beauty. She had dark blond hair, perfectly fair skin and a fierce temper. The only bothersome thing for Becket had been the handsome tall blacksmith who should have become the husband to such a pearl. His satisfaction had been great when he handed the governor the warrants. His eyes had never left Elizabeth’s. 

To part Elizabeth from her dearly beloved had been very important for Beckett. If Turner brings him the compass the pirates will soon be dead anyway. If he dies than it would only take longer and Miss Swann would be his. He had expected an ill-conceived escape plan from the Governor, but the boldness of Miss Swann had taken his breath away. He would of course never show it on the outside, but when she had waited for him in his office she had shown her rarity. This woman was not some helpless daughter, but a warrior.

She had reminded him of the ancient stories about the amazons. She was his amazon. When she had suggested “some sort of understanding” his mind had naturally only wandered in one direction. He was a man after all. But the gun held at his throat had suggested otherwise.

Although he had known that he had not been in any immediate danger he had played along.  But he had enjoyed it to see that he could make her nervous in the end.

He would get her eventually. He **always** gets what he wants. With the governor in his hands things will be **much** easier. She is all the short-witted man has. As he was now examining Elizabeth’s little reign in the manor he could not help but realise that he had greatly underestimated the young lady.

If he would believe in something insignificant as faith, he would say that it had intervened. She would have been bored after a month with Turner.  He was a blacksmith and a pirate’s son and she a wealthy highly educated woman of the high society. As far as Becket could see was fluent in several languages. He could find books in English, French, Spanish, Italian, Latin, Greek and Gaelic (?!).

Why would an English woman own books in Gaelic? French was the language of diplomacy and was essential to survive in the upper classes. Italian was the artistic language for operas. The women in London only knew Latin as far as they needed it for church. But Greek was mainly reserved for scholars.  He could find texts of the Odyssey and Iliad in their origin language.

It seemed to him that Elizabeth Swann could not sate her hunger for knowledge. Like him! As he inspected neatly arranged shelf he found some books with neat handwriting. Elizabeth had written several books about the Caribbean. He could find writings about the people and their customs, about pirates, sailing and about religion. She had written about the different religions of the slaves. Her knowledge could be very useful for him. But as he was reading further he discovered that the blond was so talented in her use words and so proficient in the art of rhetoric that she could be dangerous to his company. He read a pamphlet against slavery. Even he could follow her argumentation against it but the East India Trading Company had another policy. What was that?

Behind the books were two other books hidden. One book was about Pirates and their Code and the other was in Elizabeth’s handwriting. As he leaved through it he found that the last entry was three days ago: The day before the prevented wedding. This was her personal diary. But it was written in the Greek Alphabet. A smirk began to form in Beckett’s face. So she tried to hide something. He would find this interesting reading. As he was going around her room his perfectly polished boot tapped on something hard under her bed. He discovered four boxes with knives, pistols and a large box with an old long sword and a rapier and several daggers. Could she use all this weapons?! If yes then she was much more dangerous than he had anticipated. This fiery young woman was a too rare diamond to be killed. While he was further assessing Elizabeth Swann a new plan began to take shape.


	2. Chapter 2

It was a sunny afternoon after the short daily rain which always seemed to cleanse the air. The cartographer worked very precisely to fill the blank gaps on the huge map of the world in Lord Cutler Beckett’s office. He was very fastidious about his drawing because he knew that Beckett was completely against inaccuracy and would have him shot at the slightest deviation of reality.  Each ship that came in the harbour brought new information of newly discovered places.  

 Beckett clad in the best dark and green garments admired and analyzed with a knowing look the weapon of the former commodore.  The last few days he had worked out the exact plan to get his perfectly manicured hands on the fiery governor’s daughter. 

Now was the time to start with the first step, which enquired the father. As she was his only surviving child she naturally had a very special place in his heart. That information was very valid for Beckett because she was Swann’s pressure point and he would do everything to save her. The playing with the former Commodore’s sword would be another way of bringing his point across. Beckett had learned long ago that the display of weapons alone during a “negotiation” could be useful.

“There is something to knowing the exact shape of the world amongst place in it.  Don’t you agree?” he asked the governor putting the swords end on the floor. The old man in shackles was standing shadowed by two marines in front of the window. One marine would have sufficed but Beckett thought that two loyal marines to guard him looked better and was more frightening for someone in shackles. Swann still in his governor’s clothes was looking older than usual and much smaller without his big grey wig. His lachrymal sacs were bigger which indicated the lack of sleep he had the past few days and nights and he smelled awful.  

“I assure you these are not necessary” the governor said pleadingly holding out his hands towards Beckett but he just resumed playing with the sword.  “I had you brought here because I thought that you’d be interested in the whereabouts of your daughter.” Pointing the sword towards the older one once again to emphasize the word daughter

 “You have news of her?” Swann asked surprised. This man could either try to threaten him without evidence or have spies everywhere. He suspected the latter and received the answer from Beckett’s right hand man Mercer who was looking for culprits through a golden telescope   “She was recently seen on the island of Tortuga and **left** in the company of a known pirate: Jack Sparrow and other fugitives of justice.”

Beckett could see that this information did not please the governor. If she would have been here he would probably reprimanded her for leaving with Jack Sparrow. 

 “Justice.” The Governor mumbled shaking his head “Hardly”

Beckett used this moment to step in and tell him about the other comrade she has picked up in the sinful harbour. “Including” he said putting the sword back into its shaft with a swing: “the previous owner of this sword, I believe. “  Beckett could see the new surprise about this new information in the old man’s face.

Now was the time to devastate him again so that he would comply with the deal.  “Our ships are in pursuit and justice will be dispensed by cannonades and cutlers and all manner of remorseless pieces of metal. I personal find it distasteful to even contemplate the horrors facing all those on board.” Beckett gave him a very vivid description of what happened to all pirate ships to scare the poor man even more. After that he looked expectantly at the man to wait for the question that would set his plan off.

“What do you want from me?”Swann asked desperately fearing for the life of his only gem.

Smirking Beckett told him: “Your authority as governor, your influence in London and your loyalty to the east India Trading company.  “Silently snorting the old man said: “To you, you mean”

Beckett now had hard to fight his triumphant smile , moved in front of the Governor and asked tauntingly soft:  “Shall I remove this shackles?”

Governor Swann resigning to his fate told him: “Do what you can for my daughter”

While Mercer was removing the shackles Beckett now sitting on his desk invited the governor to sit.

“Well down to business then.” He said using his most casual voice.” I have prepared two contracts for the safety of your daughter!”  Still rubbing his sore hands Swann was surprised again. “What contracts?” he enquired.

 “You see, **Governor** ” Beckett informed him “in order for you to save your dearly beloved daughter, all you have to do is to sign this contract.”  The Governor became slightly nauseous. He did not know if it was because of the contracts or because he hadn’t eaten anything for days. “What does it say?” he asked with shivering voice.

Beckett smirked again but the Governor would have liked to wipe it off his face. “It ensures your loyalty to me. Your daughter’s life is in my hands now. You will do exactly as commanded and your girl will be saved even after her association with pirates.”   Wondering how he would accomplish that he asked: “How will you save her? As you said she associated with pirates. The answer left him breathless.

“Marriage of course!” Beckett told him as if talking to a school boy. “Her new last name will bring her safety. **Nothing** else. I can promise you that.”  Swann fought with himself. Could he trade Elizabeth to such a cruel, cold and calculating man? It would destroy her! Her life would be a living hell. Would she accept Beckett?  What about her love for Turner and after all she believed in the concept of love. She would live in a cage and used by Beckett like an animal! He could not do it! Therefore he clarified: “If she refuses? She loves William very much after all.” “Then she will be good enough for one last night before her hanging.”

Chills ran down Swann’s back. “She is used to freedom. Can you promise me to treat her well and kind?” he pleaded.  “If she is compliant and sees reason then yes I try to be. Although... kindness is not in my nature.” The younger man answered. “But **you** need to consider that her life is at stake at the moment and that my name is the only thing that can safe her.” Pointing at the contracts he assured the governor: “She will have everything material that she wants. Her only duty to me will lie in giving birth to an heir and in educating him.” 

With a heavy heart and shaking hands the Governor reached for the nib to give his consent not looking at the heartless grinning leader of the East India Trading Company. 

After sealing the contract Beckett could not hold himself back to taunt the broken old man a bit more.

 “So you see Mercer. Every man has a price he will willingly accept.... Even if for what he hoped never to sell. “

 

 

 


	3. Chapter 3

Elizabeth’s dreams were disturbing. Once she was standing in Davy Jones Locker and could not find any water. Her mouth was dry and she was so thirsty. Then she was on Davy Jones’s ship. She was standing on the bridge next to Davy Jones who suddenly turned into Will and then into Jack. Jack started to laugh at her and pointed at her and all the crew was laughing at her. It was not a friendly laughter but the laughter of maniacs which sent chills down Elizabeth’s back. Then she was surrounded by darkness: Black thick darkness where she could not see anything. Not even her own hand. She could hear voices calling her. Sometimes they were nearer and other times they came from afar. The voice she could hear now seemed near again. But it sounded like Lord Cutler Beckett?! She must be dead! She was in hell! Would she be reunited with Will? Her parents would probably be in heaven. Why was she in hell? There was that voice again!

 She slowly opened her eyes. When she wanted to rub them she felt that her hands were shackled. Her eyes began to adjust slowly to the rare light. She could make out that she was in the brigg of a ship and felt the soft heaving and rocking of the ship which could only mean that they were still at sea and that they had perfect conditions. The last thing she remembered was the sinking of the Flying Dutchman. It had been drawn into the Abyss along with her love.

Calypso had personally killed Davy Jones, her former lover who had betrayed her. Will had died with a pierced heart! Tears started to gather in her eyes. She was alive and without him. Jack and her had made it to the Pearl, but they were destroyed by the armada. She was proud of **her** pirates, because they had caused a lot of damage.

The armada had eventually won, but it had been a fight to remember. Although they had fewer ships, the Pirates had managed to decimate half of the armada’s ships as far as she had witnessed. The last thing she had seen after the destruction of the beautiful Pearl as she had been floating on a piece of wood, had been the ship she feared the most: The Endeavour.

So her chances were high that she was in Beckett’s hands now. That could only mean that he would make an example of her. Her: The Pirate king. He would probably taunt her, torture her and then hang her. She realised that she wasn’t cold. There was a blanket around her. Why?

“Ah! **The Pirate king** has finally decided to wake up! Lord Beckett wants to see you!” Mercer snarled appearing from the darkness in the Brigg. How that horrible man had survived Jones’s attack was beyond her. When he went into her cell he began to unshackle her from the bench. She tried to punch him, but wasn’t quick enough and he shackled both of her hands with other shackles. Then he yanked her on her feet and pushed her through the door.

Elizabeth’s heart began to race. She was going to be brought before Beckett. The next moments would decide about her faith. As she was not quite steady on her feet she stumbled. Mercer cursed, held her with one hand on her upper arm in an icy crib and dragged her mercilessly through the decks to the charting room. Much too soon Elizabeth was pushed through the delicate white doors of the charting room where she stood eyes to eyes with her father’s murderer. His cold blue eyes were penetrating her. Elizabeth shuddered.

“Thank you, Mercer! That will be all.” He dismissed his henchman, who seemed disappointed that he could not watch the confrontation. Beckett’s eyes never left hers as he took her appearance from head to toe and started grinning. She was still wearing the exotic black and golden Asian garments which hid her figure perfectly. Her hair, kissed by the sun, had more blond strains and was loose. Her skin was darker and looked like bronze. She looked different.

Determined, trained and her face looked thinner than before. Her lips were dry because of her time in the salt water. But she was still the most intriguing women he had ever met. And she was his now. Elizabeth felt like a piece of meat that was about to be eaten. This man had ordered her father to be killed!

The thought feed her determination to kill that bastard and follow her love and her family. After what seemed like a long time he moved to a table and filled two cups with tee and offered her one cup without a word. God she wanted to drink something! She was so thirsty! Her mouth watered. But Elizabeth refrained herself and declined by only starring at him with small eyes. Beckett put her cup down and kept silent. When she couldn’t stand the silence anymore, she croaked out:

”Why am I not dead?” Beckett sat down elegantly behind his desk and told her cryptically:”Because you are a too rare diamond.”

Elizabeth blinked and could not help but feel confused. “Pardon? I feel the need for you to specify that.” Her voice was getting better.

“Mh!... I see that you can still speak properly. That is most fortunate for me!”

If Elizabeth could somehow wipe his grin off his face she would. “Do not change the subject, Beckett” she spat.

“Lord Beckett” he corrected her like reprimanding a small child.

“Lord Beckett” Elizabeth mocked, mockingly bowing which would have made Jack Sparrow proud.

“You are an intelligent woman Elizabeth. So you should figure it out in no time.” Beckett seemed to undress her mentally and Elizabeth felt suddenly very vulnerable.

“What has happened to my pirates?”

Beckett put down his tee, stood up and pranced towards Elizabeth. He was smiling? No he had to be grinning!

“Either dead or awaiting their just sentence” he said in a businesslike tone slowly walking towards her.

“I told you that most of you would die”.

 “Just? Most?” Elizabeth found her rage again. “You mean all!” she stomped her right foot. “Most of these so called pirates had no chance! Many became pirates because your **precious** company forced them to. Your taxes are far too high to make earnest trade possible. The sentence is hardly just!”

Beckett was standing mere inches away from her. That was to close! She could smell his cologne and it smelled wonderful after almost two years of stinking pirates, who were living without personal hygiene. He took her shackled arms in his hands ignoring Elizabeth’s flinching and pulled her closer. He was stronger than he looked. She tried to get away from him but could not.

Then he whispered into her left ear:” **You** are the only **p** irate who will not die!” Coldness was rushing down her back.  “ **Yet**.”

With that he let her go and tried to get back to his desk, but Elizabeth seized the chance to use her shackled hands to attack him.

She quickly put her shackles around his throat, like Jack had the first time he tried to escape from Port Royal and she attempted to choke him. Beckett certainly was surprised and when he wanted to call Mercer he realised that he could not use his voice. Where did that strength come from? He tried to wiggle out of her grip, but it was useless. He mentally panicked. This woman would kill him! He managed to pull her over to a table and kicked a metal box of the table.

Elizabeth felt a rush through her body. She felt strong again. Her thirst was forgotten. She would avenge her father and all the murdered pirates. He would pay! But it was very hard for her to keep up the strength. She began to breathe faster and sweat pearls started to appear on her forehead. All of a sudden something was in front of her mouth and struggling to keep up her strength she realised another presence behind her.

She eventually had to let go of Beckett and collapsed. Her vision was fading and the last thing she heard was Beckett gasping for air.


	4. Chapter 4

Elizabeth was back in the dark wet slimy brigg. The meeting had not gone as planned and Beckett inspected his bruises on his throat in front of his opulent oval golden mirror. They were red and would certainly swell and turn blue and green in time. He had expected an attempt at his life from her, but not so soon and definitely not in her current state. She should have been tired and weak after the battle. This woman was still full of surprises. Her hatred for him must indeed be very strong if it gave her that much strength. When he uncovered one layer of her he discovered five new.

“The whench is back in the brigg” Mercer informed his superior entering the office again “I suppose you will not give her the contract now.” he smiled menacingly and was curious to know. Surely his boss would make an extremely cruel example of her now. But Beckett shot him a cold glare and told him:

”Nothing has changed! I would have granted her **some** freedom. But now her freedom will be dependent on **my** generosity. Do not worry Mercer. She **will** be punished!” Beckett said taking a sip of tea. He would **love** to tame her. She would be his in time in body and soul. He would make sure of it.

“Give her something to eat and drink, when she wakes up.” Mercer raised his eyebrows but kept quiet and nodded. When he turned to follow Beckett’s order he was interrupted once again: “And call the doctor to me.” Mercer hoped that Beckett was not seriously insured. No one of his former employers had let him live out his sadism as much as Beckett.

* * *

 

Elizabeth woke up once again in the heart of the ship, very closely to the water level with a pounding head, mouth dry like sand and heaviness in all her joints. She remembered Beckett’s gasps before everything went black. His gasps could only mean that she had failed again to avenge her loved ones. She wished that she would be shot and not hanged. And that the marines would shoot properly to kill her immediately. The thought of a sling breaking her neck was just horrible and by thinking about it she felt ill.  Lying on the hard bank Elizabeth became aware of something small lying on her stomach. Something that was breathing! A rat perhaps? A huge rat! She shrieked and jumped up as she could not see anything because of the darkness surrounding her. The only thing she heard was a hiss. She knew that kind of hiss. It was not a rat! Elizabeth’s heart calmed down.

“Jack?” she whispered hopefully.

“Jack Sparrow is not here” she heard Mercer’s snarling voice coming from somewhere above her. Then the yellowish glow of a lantern appeared which although it was not very bright blinded Elizabeth for a moment. Mercer entered looking grimmer than usual and put a board with a huge loaf of bread on it, put a small bottle next to it and got out of the cell. Elizabeth did not hesitate to throw herself at the bread tore it to small pieces and stuffed it into her mouth. It was dry and a bit too salty but it was of quite good quality considering the fact that she was a prisoner. She washed it down with the water from the bottle. But her satisfied feeling did not last long as she began to feel nauseous. Perhaps she had eaten to fast and too much after month of fasting.  The nausea did not last long and she could not hold herself back.

* * *

 

“Lord Beckett. The prisoner is sick.” Mercer came into the powerful man’s office. His boss should focus on other things than that stupid woman.

“Perhaps a pirate nailed her successfully.” He suggested grinning. Beckett seemed calm but after years of service Mercer knew the signs of an angry Beckett. He put his teeth together forcefully and his hands clenched

“Let her clean herself, properly in one of the empty storage rooms. Put a water bowl and soap inside. The doctor will examine her afterwards.” He dismissed him. Her sickness could have several reasons he argued with himself. She had lived on ships with lacking hygiene, bad food and sick rum drinking pirates. Adding the fact that she had sailed to countries where rare diseases could break out it was a surprise that she was still alive. There could however also be the fact which Mercer had pointed out. Elizabeth could be with a child. If he would believe in a god, he would pray now.

* * *

 

Elizabeth tried to sleep. She was so tired and her shackles which seemed to gain weight by the minute did not allow any remotely comfortable position. She swore that they even got tighter the more she moved. She knew that it was logically not possible because they were of iron, but then again she had seen a real goddess and Davy Jones’s feared Ship. Just as she felt herself slipping into oblivion, the door to her cell was opened again and she was dragged away again. What would happen know! They could not have reached Port Royal yet! She could not be killed yet. The tired young woman could hardly walk and her eyes adjusted slowly to the different sparks of light. She realised that they walked closer to the better parts of the ship. That was not good! All of a sudden Mercer was standing in front of her and opened the door to a room. When she stumbled inside she saw that it must have been a storage room, but it was quite empty. In the right corner she could spot a huge bowl and next to it soap and towels could be seen.

“Clean yourself up properly!” Mercer spat eying her like a cockroach. Elizabeth was confused. Why should she clean herself?! She tried to think about it, but in her tired composition she was not able to come to a conclusion. When she reached out to the sponge lying next to the washing basin she realized that her handcuffs have been removed.

“Don’t try anything! There is no way out!” warned Mercer’s bodiless bored voice from somewhere behind the door.”And knock twice on the door when you are finished”. Why did she get the luxury to clean herself? Unfortunately her mind was too heavy to come to a conclusion. Freeing herself from her clothes she hoped that there were no holes in the woods where sailors could look through. When she began to wash herself she began to plan for another meeting with her enemy. Should she call him her “archenemy” because technically they were. Pirate king, outlaw against Governor of the East India Trading Company. Elizabeth sight as she felt the dirt which had gathered over the month was brushed away. The last time she had been able to properly wash herself had been on Sao Feng’s ship. With wet hair she looked around for something clean to wear and detected a perfectly folded dress lying in the corner. Slowly, Elizabeth tiptoed to the corner and was relieved that there was no corset. Was it for her? Likely, as hers she was the only known woman on board. What is that? It even smelled like a dress of hers. Had Beckett raided her room? Her heart began to pound faster again. The idea of that vile man in her private room was disturbing. After putting the dress (which fit her perfectly) she knocked twice. Her hair was still wet and she thought that she looked probably like a wet poodle in a dress, but did not care because now she would see the devil again. But when the door opened a sailor came in with a wooden mug followed by a small bald man with a pair of pince-nez. The last remnants of hair stood out from the sides of his head and looked greyish white. His appearance made her hair stand on end. Who was this gnome?

“Mrs. Swann! I’m doctor Williams. You need to drink this and you will feel better.” he said with a calm and soothing voice.

“What is it? Why will it make me feel better and why are you here?” she yawned.

“Because Beckett heard that you are sick! He wants me to take a look at you”, he explained very slowly as if talking to a mentally challenged person. Elizabeth turned away and scoffed:

”Can’t have a pirate who is not fit on his execution!” The doctor sighed and raised his left eyebrow.

“I ask you nicely, because I appreciated your father very much. PLEASE, drink this, so that I can do my work. There are other sailors with greater injuries and I also want to catch some sleep after the battle.” Elizabeth was feeling too tired to argue and fight and since he had asked her nicely, she drowned the drink which tasted like spiked wine and started to blink because her eyelids were becoming way too heavy. God! Whatever **that** was, it was strong.

* * *

Beckett had waited until she had fallen asleep and entered the moment she had closed her eyes. Even though the doctor was said to be one of the best, he did not trust any man near a woman after such a long time at sea. He watched the doctor examining Elizabeth’s teeth, feeling her heartbeat and jealousy began to spread in his stomach as the gnome began to palpate Elizabeth’s upper body.

“I don’t think **that** is necessary!” he snapped at the doctor who flinched at Beckett’s voice.

”I needed to check how thin she is”, he tried to explain and feared most what Beckett would do to him if he had to do **the** task as ordered previously.

“Shall I continue, with the more delicate matter?”, he stuttered with sweat breaking out on his front. After some very agonizing moments and an intimidating Lord Beckett looking over his shoulder he could finally confirm the purity of the departed Governor’s daughter and Williams finally allowed himself to let out his breath, which he had hold back, again. Lord Beckett seemed to be in a good mood again.

“The effect of the draught will probably linger for one or two days. It depends on the body of each person” he informed his superior who turned towards the sleeping woman and the hint of a smile graced his face.

“The negative effects of this drug will most likely cause her bad dreams. It is unfortunately not known yet why it causes these dreams, but it is the only narcotic that I had with me.” “Why was she sick?” the blue eyed man enquired?

“Because she is **very** thin and has probably not eaten enough substantial food over a longer period of time. Her teeth are not stained and her gums are not infected in any way.” Beckett raised a questioning eyebrow.

“I believe she did not touch rum or any other strong drinks, otherwise her teeth would be stained yellow or even brown. Neither does she show any signs of scorbutus, which leads me to believe that she consummated a lot of fruit.  …  Is there anything else that you need, mylord? “ . He did not want to spend more time than necessary with his superior. Beckett gathering Elizabeth in his hands only shook his head.”

* * *

 

_Darkness was all around and the large vessel was filled with an eerie silence. Elizabeth in her finest Asian garments was standing in front of a huge Lord Beckett. She did not remember him to be that tall._

_“Are you accepting the deal?” he asked with thundering voice._

_“Do I even have a choice?” she scoffed. “_

_If I give myself to you, who will guarantee that you give them to me?”_

_“Well, I do! It’s just good business! You are working under me as my personal pirate king to defend the interests of the East India Trading Company. But Elizabeth was so tired of fighting! The only thing she wanted was to follow her love and her family._

_“Live, Elizabeth!” came a bodiless voice which seemed to surround her! She knew that voice! It was so familiar!_

_“Yes! I want to live!” she murmured but the unusually tall Beckett pushed her down to the floor and Elizabeth wanted to scream, but she was shocked when no sound escaped her lips. She felt incredible pain rushing through her body with a Beckett above her. It felt as if thousand small needles were rushing through her body. Then everything shifted and she was standing in the magnificent fort of Port Royal. She was standing under a sling of the gallows, her back was hurting like she had been whipped with a cat o’nine tails . Her eyes grew big and she looked for the devil who obviously had not kept his part of the bargain._

_“You promised!” She screamed at him, but he was only standing in the shadows, his normally blue were glowing dark red and he barked out: “I do not make deals with pirates!”._

 


	5. Chapter 5

He had a sleeping young pirate queen in his cabin; in his berth to be exact. It was more spacious than those of the other sailors and he could stretch himself without touching the walls.

Although he still had to talk to her about her contract, Lord Beckett was confident that she would eventually see reason. He had planned to wait to consummate the future wedding in his house at Port Royal, but had changed his mind immediately when Doctor Williams had examined her. There were far too many female-deprived sailors on the ship and the woman certainly had learned a few new tricks from her pirate friends which could aid her trying to flee. He also had the best opportunity to prove her “innocence” to the sailors.

Sipping his tea, while taking her sleeping beauty in, Beckett observed that her hair had started curling as it dried. Her mouth was slightly open and he wondered how her lips would taste. He would certainly enjoy married life after years without a female presence in his life.

His old and crusty housekeeper didn’t count.

Now he would have a feisty wife, with great education and finally also someone to participate in nightly activities. Although he had never met his elder brothers’ wives, he was confident that they were nothing like Elizabeth. In fact, they were probably not even from nobility.

He was able to gain what no Beckett before him had ever managed: a title through his hard work and dedication to the East India Trading Company. His idiot of a father wanted to make him a vicar, just because he preferred spending more time with his favorite sister and as many books as possible rather than hunting and fighting.  He would now gain a far more beautiful and more intelligent woman than his siblings.

The only tie to his family was his cousin Susan, whom he had helped to get her son an internship at the east India Trading Company. His father had the audacity to turn his nephew down because he had reminded him of Cutler. He had used the exact same words turning down the boy as to him. Well, he had proved them wrong and his cousin’s son had been a good investment so far.  He was looking forward to creating his own offspring with Elizabeth. No doubt the children would be intelligent. Why could his father not see how important education is?

Elizabeth started thrashing around again in the cot.

Beckett sighed. It was the fifth time that she experienced some kind of nightmare, and each time she appeared to be in extreme pain. As he did with the prior times, he stood up to wake her. With any luck, she would be more coherent this time. The former jolts to reality, she had not recognized anything around her. Her pupils had been dilated and she had not been able to focus on anything.

This time, however, it was different when she woke up. She recognized him and shrieked, trying to scurry away from him and further back into the berth. Apparently she was not the same yet, but he did not want to wait until she was the same again.

He wanted her to be tied to him as fast as possible.

“It is good to finally see you awake, Elizabeth.” he said.

“It’s Miss Swan to you!” she scoffed, mumbling.

“Only for a few more hours if it were for me, dear!” Elizabeth blinked a few times, processing his answer. Why did he call her “dear”?

“Beg your pardon?” she asked, only to receive one of his infuriating smiles in return.

In her mind she contemplated dozens of ways to kill him slowly and painfully. When she went to move further away from him, she realized that she could not. Her hands and feet were very heavy and her mind also seemed quite foggy.

“Your father ensured your safety, Elizabeth!” he began, never leaving her eyes. “He signed his loyalty to me in a contract and agreed to your contract.”

“What contract?” She wanted to clear her confusion, getting a bad feeling about the conversation.

“A marriage contract! You will marry me, obey me in everything, carry my children and educate them.” Beckett’s eyes lit up and he was a bit too excited for her taste.

“That is a slave contract,” she exclaimed. It sounded so familiar to her dream. She could not trust him! He had said, after all, that he would have no need to kill her **yet**. He would make her life a living hell and when his “heir” is borne he would dispose of her. But then she thought of something Jack had told her and she could not stop herself:

“I cannot bear your children.” she told him swiftly. “How should that work?”

Beckett was speechless. He knew that her mother had died when she was still very young, but she could not have been that oblivious. She had told him that he had robbed her of her wedding night. “I thought that at least someone had informed you about the….basics” he said.

“Of course, but how should you be able to create children when you have lost your…ahem…reproductive organs?”

Beckett now was utterly confused. His mouth was slightly ajar and his eyebrows shot up to meet his perfectly powdered wig. What had they told her? His reproductive organs?  He thought that she still had to be under the influence of the drugs to make such a claim, or the pirates had disseminated disturbingly false information about him. Surely she was not able to make a joke on his expense yet.  

“I assure you I have all my organs on me” he spat, catching himself.

“But…But everyone thought you were **the** eunuch Jack was joking about all the time!”

“What?” To his dismay, Beckett’s voice sounded higher pitched in his surprise. Of course, it had to be Jack! Oh! He would pay! He could kill two birds with one stone.  

“You were never interested in any woman; you are not very tall and crave power! Everything would fit, except that you have no high singing voice, because for that you would have lost your reproductive organs before adolescence.” Elizabeth defended herself, slurring slightly. She was disturbingly well informed about that topic.

Oh, he would definitely prove her wrong about these rumors!

With one swift move he climbed into the berth and was hovering over Elizabeth, who tried to sink deeper in the mattress to put some more distance between Beckett and herself. She mentally cursed. He was too close. She could smell his cologne, a bit of tea and she was aware of the warmth that his body was radiating.

No man has ever come that close to her. Not even Will, and she had tried really hard to get close to the man during their engagement.

Beckett enjoyed her predicament immensely as she tried to look everywhere but to himself. His right hand disappeared slowly under her white blanket and his fingertips traced her inner tights upwards until he reached a certain dangerous spot.

Elizabeth’s eyes bulged in surprise. What was he doing! She had never heard of something like that. Just has she felt his thump circle the spot she had no name for, she wished that the mattress would help her vanish. Unknown warm sensations were running through her body and her stomach seemed to have picked up the habit of knotting.  

Just as she could not hold back a slow moan Beckett lowered his head and whispered into her left ear. “Back to business, my dear **,** by marrying me you will get all my privileges and my protection. You will share my bed whenever I want and you will only sleep when I allow it. Do we understand each other?” With each emphasized word, his thumb applied more pressure.  Elizabeth noticed that her undergarments turned quite damp. This was not alright! She could not let him have her way with her! She had to fight these sensations. By allowing them she would betray Will and all her other fellow pirates. But God, it felt good, like he knew what he was doing.

Of course he knew what he was doing. Beckett, seeing Elizabeth’s conflict in her eyes, went even one step further. He wanted her confirmation as long as she was still awake. Her face had become flushed and her breathing had accelerated.

“Do we understand each other?” he repeated.

But Elizabeth, trying to concentrate in gaining the control of her body back, only shook her head. He had naturally expected her to oppose him, even in her drugged state, but he could stand to humiliate a bit more. His thumb stayed at her sweet spot, but his index finger and middle finger found their way into her warm, moist folds. Elizabeth gasped at the sudden intrusion and begged him, fighting back tears.

“Please stop!”

But Beckett did not want to give in her pleading. “No! You have to answer me first,” he breathed into her left ear. She wanted to move so badly and shove him off her, but her still drugged state did not allow it.  Pressure was gathering inside her stomach and she was afraid that she would explode. What he was doing was unnatural! She had never heard of something such as this.

Men must be taught differently than woman. He asked her again. “Will you sign the contract?”

Another moan escaped her mouth and Beckett almost wanted to take her now; it took all his will not to. He could get used to having her under him.

“No!” Elizabeth managed to gasp out.  But as this was not the answer he wanted to hear, he lowered his head, never ceasing the other activity, and traced a line from behind her ear over the side of her neck to her shoulder with his lips. Elizabeth’s senses registered Beckett’s facial skin, with traces of beard and his very soft, but tight lips.

His aroma was even more prominent now, and although she hated this man, she liked his manly smell. It was a bit intoxicating, but she did not know if she was still befuddled by the narcotic or by his odor. 

She wanted him to halt his actions, but could not stop him. Beckett wanted her to agree. Through the closeness to him, she could feel something hardening in his pants. She had never really seen what man exactly looked like under the waistline, but she knew that she had to stop him. It was frightening. Then all of a sudden her nightmare came back to her and she finally found her strength again to fight him.

“I will not stop until you agree!” she heard him murmur hotly. The pressure in her stomach was nearly bursting. Maybe he would force himself on her now! She had to fight. Maybe she could just play along until she would find a way out. Just as she was about to say “Yes!” the pressure snapped and she was shuddering uncontrollably. And instead of saying it, she was screaming the word.   

Beckett stopped assaulting her and whispered: “Repeat that in one whole sentence!”

“I agree to the contract!” she murmured through clenched teeth. “For now” she added in her mind.

* * *

 

“Lord Beckett, it seems we have some trouble on board,” came Mercer’s voice from the entrance. Beckett quickly jumped from the cot and regained his posture. Mercer was a good henchman, but he had the most unfortunate timing lately.

“And you are unable to solve it?” he asked silkily, hiding his anger towards the other man as he wiped his hand with a small handkerchief.

“No, Sir! Some sailors are complaining about ghosts and spirits of murdered pirates! They hear mocking voices in the sleeping decks and things disappear only to appear somewhere else.”

“Mocking voices?” Beckett enquired.  

“Yes, Sir! I checked if any captured pirate is missing or was able to escape but all of them are in the brig.” “Except their ‘king’” he added silently.

“Alright, I want you to stop any rations of alcohol for the sailors until they are sober again. Nothing is haunting this ship!” Beckett ordered him. “And I want you to tell the captain that he should prepare himself for a wedding ceremony tomorrow at nightfall.”

Mercer nodded and went out to give the orders. Beckett’s obsession with the girl was something he did not like! He was always in his good graces because he did everything for him, but this pirate woman could become more important to Beckett than him. He should hate her. She is a pirate! Beckett’s bad experience with rogue pirates should aid to his hatred! But no! He was obsessed with her! Hopefully he would use her and then get rid of her.

He would refuse to take orders from a “Lady Beckett”.

Mercer shuddered and spat to a secretly existing listener, “Bloody Woman!” and jumped when he heard a strange voice repeating it. “Bloody Woman, ja, Bloody Woman, ja, Bloody Mercer, haha.”

There had to be a reasonable explanation. It did not sound like a ghost, it sounded like something from this earth. Although he had seen the supernatural, Mercer believed, much like his superior, in a reasonable explanation.

It must be a sailor playing a prank to the others. He inspected the corridor, but could not find any evidence of the chatty presence. If he had looked up, he would have seen a colourful bird next to a small, finely dressed capuchin, which flashed his teeth and whipped his head as if it was giggling.

* * *

 

 

In the cabin, Beckett, shaking his head, turned back to Elizabeth only to find her asleep again. He decided that he would go to bed early today, as he would need his sleep for the following day, and especially the next night.

 

 


	6. Chapter 6

Elizabeth was woken from her deep slumber through the first rays of the rising sun. She was wondering when she was woken from it the last time. Then she suddenly discovered that she was sleeping in the most spacious berth she had ever seen. It had beautiful colourful glass windows on the edges which created their own rainbows just by letting the sunshine through. As she began to stretch her still sleeping limps she felt a heavy arm around her waist. Alarmed she slowly turned her head around and came face to face with a slumping man, who had short brown hair with small traces of locks. Who was this man? He looked so peaceful and calm.

“See what you like, Mrs. Swann?” his lips asked in a seductive voice. His face had not moved, only his lips. It was Beckett she deducted. Of course it was him! But he looked so different without his wig. She had never given a second thought how he would look without it. For her it had always been clued to his thick head since birth, which was of course ridiculous.  Now that she knew it was him she discovered that he looked just as intimidating as ever, especially now that he had opened his cold blue eyes.

“Absolutely not” she scoffed trying to wiggle away. But Beckett would not have any of it. He swiftly rolled her over and trapped her beneath him. Elizabeth struggled and pushed against him to get free, but he only smirked and starred into her eyes, grinning.

“You should get used to it, Elizabeth. From today onward you will be mine.”

Elizabeth hissed viciously:” I’m already in your hands, what difference does this stupid contract make?”

“It is just a formality. Just good business.” he answered non-gallantly.

“And when you have your heir, supposed you are able to sire one, what will happen to me?  Will you get rid of me?” she needed to know.“

“Of course not!  he answered ignoring her comment about being able to sire a child. “Every man has needs” he whispered lowering his lower half and brushing against her “and therefore I need a wife.”

She shuddered. “Lord Beckett!” she heard Mercer once again somewhere behind the curtain which separated Beckett’s floating office from his berth. She saw the later, who had obviously the great urge to strangle his henchmen sigh and then stand up with another swift move. He was definitely faster then he looked.

Beckett mentally chuckled when he noticed that Elizabeth shielded her eyes from his sight when he properly redressed himself. He had only slept in his undergarments because his formal clothing was very uncomfortable and could not look dishevelled. She was still wearing that boring dress he had ordered her to wear. At last he carefully put his white powdered wig back on and stepped out from behind the curtain greeting Mercer.

“Is everything prepared”, Beckett asked him grinning.

“Yes, Sir!“  the other one replied gruffly. “As ordered the captain will hold the ceremony in the evening, shortly before the sundown. Beckett nodded. He had enough time to work, sign the contract with Elizabeth and give her enough time to prepare herself. But he would be lying to himself if he said that he could not wait for the evening to come. Luckily the ceremony was before sundown, which meant that she would be his fully shortly after.

* * *

 

When she sipped her golden looking tea she felt much better. The bitter drink, which she usually drank without milk helped her to finally wake up. Something that she unknowingly shared with a certain Lord.

 Shortly after Mercer had come in the floating office a small cabin boy, which could not be older than ten years old with flaming red hair and countless freckles, had brought freshly made tea for Beckett and herself. She had observed how he had trembled during putting the tray with the ornamented tea can and the two tea cups. Beckett had almost completely ignored him until he had filled the cups. When he had brought the cup to her he had shortly looked up and had glanced at her with a small hardly noticeable smile, which she had felt compelled to return. He definitely needed to see a friendly face.

Beckett had observed her silent communication with the tiny cabin boy out of the corner of his eye and wondered how she would interact with her own children. With one small smile she had significantly calmed the boy. He had walked out of his office much more confident then walking in. Surely Elizabeth would be a loving mother. His departed mother, may she finally rest in peace, had been even when she had wasted away through the terrible sickness his father had brought upon her. He could not remember her as a strong woman, but she had always listened and encouraged him and his elder sister to look further then everyone else.

Each time his father and his elder brothers had ridiculed him about his size, bad health and insatiable hunger for knowledge she had taken his side knowing that a fight with his father could not have ended well for her afterwards.

Countless times his father had told him that he had never believed that he would have survived his early years because he had been a small sickly child and that he should have died. Beckett shook his head to get rid of his dark memories. With his dear sister’s dead he had no need for humanity. Looking at his fiancé again he was confident that she would be a strong and loving mother, who hopefully would love to quarrel with him. He just loved her fire.

“When you have finished your tea, I want you to sign this contract Elizabeth!“ he ordered her stopping his musings.

 “Not before I know exactly what this so called contract is saying” she shot back coming forth from his berth with her hair in unruly ringlets.

The different commanders who were present in the room stopped pretending doing their work. This was something that they did not want to miss. Nobody would dare to stand up to Lord Beckett that way, but this fierce woman, this former governors’ daughter, this pirate dared to confront him. As Beckett became aware of his audience he ordered them immediately to leave the office for the signing of the contract, which they reluctantly complied. But if he would have checked the door he would have seen that none of them had actually left.

Instead they were struggling for a good spot against the wall with one of their ears, trying to catch anything going on inside Beckett’s office.

“It says that the marriage between Lord Cutler Dominic Beckett and Elizabeth Maria Jeanne Kahlen Swann was given permission by Governor Wetherby Swann.”

“Your name is quite a mouthful” he commented only causing her to role her eyes and informing him

“You pronounced one of my names wrong!”

“It shall be the duty of the spouse to be worthy of the title given to her by marriage. She has to answer to all her husband’s wishes including baring his heir and other potential children. It shall furthermore be her duty to provide and supervise the education of the heir and further offspring. Leaving the household is only acceptable by permission of her husband, who in return will secure her safety and wellbeing. Letters to friends or family can only be sent after the supervision of the husband.Any association to pirates must be dissolved immediately.Should Elizabeth Maria Jeanne Kahlen Swann not hold herself responsible to any part of this contract then Lord Cutler Dominic Beckett is allowed to dissolve the marriage and proceed with any charges of piracy.” he read.

“I would suggest you close your pretty mouth because you look like a carp snapping for air” he continued.

Elizabeth had been right. “This is a slave contract!” she ranted getting louder by the second.

“Basically I have to do everything you want, have to live locked up in a house and you control my every move. When you get tired of me you just can find any connection to a pirate and I will be dead! When I want to write to my family I do not want anyone to read my mail. And what if you are unable to sire children? Will I get the blame as well? How can you think that I will sign this contract! I will not!”

Beckett looked coldly at her while she stomped her right foot and darkly told her: “Yes, my dear. You will! Firstly: You promised to sign it yesterday and secondly it is your only chance to live! It is your choice: Sign this contract and be my wife, with every comfort or I will have you walk to the gallows…naked after I had my wicked ways with you and every lonely sailor on this ship.”

Elizabeth gasped. “Furthermore, if you would have paid closer attention to the formulation you would have realised that by keeping you on tight leash you will have absolutely no possibility to get reassociated with pirates.” he remarked.

During his explanation he had come very close to Elizabeth again, whose entire face was flushed with fury but her gaze was kept captive by his intense cold blue eyes. She wanted to live. But living with Beckett would mean that she would be held captive.

She would not have a single confidant, no real contact with her remaining family in England and other parts of the world. Maybe she could just pretend for some time and then seize an opportunity to flee when it would present itself. Beckett could almost see her mind working. Surely she would plan to play along for a while and try to flee as soon as she could. But he had no intention of letting her go. His very intention was to bind her fully to him. But she had a valid point about children. He had always been very careful to not sire any illegitimate children. His former house servants certainly showed never any symptoms, but then he had never paid them any closer attention.

Elizabeth finally bit her lower lip and sighed, letting her shoulders sink.

“Alright! I will consent to your contract if we will seal the marriage in Port Royal.” she tried hopefully.

“No!” he whispered huskily into her left ear moving behind her with his right hand on her belly.

“The marriage will be sealed tonight”. She sighed again. This would definitely complicate things to gain her freedom, it but was probably necessary for gaining her freedom. His closeness seamed to cloud her judgment once again. Why was she not able to focus on anything when this man was close to her?! Beckett pushed her with his hand on her hip closer to his opulent oval table and Mercer put a quill into her hand. Trapped between Beckett and the table she put her signature with a trembling hand to the intended spot on the faithful paper, fighting to hold back tears of sorrow. She would not give Beckett the satisfaction of crying.

“Well done, Elizabeth! “ He told her like complementing a toddler. “Two more steps and you will truly be my wife.”

* * *

 

Hours later….

Beckett had given her a new dress. One that was much more opulent. It resembled her old wedding dress in colouring, but it looked more impressive, expensive and it was much heavier. She should have known: Beckett only wanted the best.

The delicate embroidery alone must have taken several weeks. It was so delicate and complicated that the seamstress must have been very talented indeed. She had managed to get rid of her ringlets and had created a beautiful hairstyle without any help. Through the colourful glass of the berth Elizabeth could see that the hour of her doom had almost arrived. That could only mean that she would be married to her enemy in a few minutes and then she would have to spend the night with him. She was shuddering again.

The wedding ceremony itself was not what she was afraid of. What came after was much more terrifying.  Before her prevented wedding from Will another elderly woman from her father’s circle of friends had taken her aside and had spent a whole evening with her and informed her about the delicate topic of the wedding night.  She had been a bit afraid when she was informed about the pain that she had to expect but also excited to be with Will, after he had kept her at distance for a year. Will would have been careful with her, but with Beckett she was almost certain that he would not be. The nearest bodily contact that she had had with Will was during her sword fighting training. How much she had loved to torment him with “accidental” bodily contacts, which had forced him to ask for a break and disappear for a few minutes. But Will had also been surprised how good she had been at everything that he had taught her, but was never aware that she had already been trained in this special art. Her dear mother’s family had trained her in secret in all sorts of combat as it had been her family’s tradition for centuries.

Even her own father had been oblivious to her training. She remembered that although her mother’s marriage had been tolerated of her family because her father Weatherby Swann had been an Englishman, the family gatherings have always been quite strained. She wondered if Beckett had any family and how his situation was with them. They probably hated him too! She sighed again. How would he be? Surely he would be very demanding and it would probably hurt much. He was sadistic after all.

“Times up!” she heard Mercer just before he pushed the curtains to the side. “Your fiancé is waiting for you!” he snarled grabbing her right arm and pulling her through the office towards her forced wedding.

When they entered the Weather Deck she saw that the sailors were forming two lines on both sides standing in their best uniforms. With their polished rapiers drawn above their heads they were creating a guard of honour which was looking very dangerous as the setting sun created a dark red, almost a foreshadowing glimmer on their weapons. Much too soon she had to ascend the dark and very steep steps to the main deck where Beckett and the elder captain were waiting for her in front of the reel to perform the ceremony. Mercer placed her on Beckett’s left side, who happily put his left arm on her lower back. Elizabeth flinched at the contact.

“Dearly beloved!” The captain began. “We’ve gathered here tonight to join Lord Cutler Dominic Beckett and Elizabeth Maria Jeanne Kahlen Swann in holy matrimony.”  The captain almost stumbled over her long name.

Everyone on the ship was watching her; probably even the oversized mice and she hated it. She wanted to scream at them to help her and that she did not want to marry Beckett, but she could not gather her voice.

During the captain’s speech she was not able to focus; it had become very hard to breathe again probably because of the damn corset and she was looking at one single very interesting spot on the reel behind the captain.  She heard Beckett say his part from afar and half-heartedly stuttered hers. Just as Beckett put a surprisingly simple ring with small green, blue and red stones forming a floral set on her finger she remembered some lines from a poem her aunt used to read to her mother when she had still been small child:

“The massive weight of Uncle's wedding band, Sits heavily upon Aunt Jennifer's hand. When Aunt is dead, her terrified hands will lie still ringed with ordeals she was mastered by.”

What ordeals would she have to master until her hands could lie still? With the heavy ring on her trembling hand the captain closed the ceremony by declaring them husband and wife while the sun was disappearing in Davy Jones’ Locker, leaving the whole deck in darkness which was only broken by some oil lamps. Beckett pulled her closer and forced a kiss on her, while the whole crew was cheering. She dreaded the first contact, but his lips were surprisingly soft and sent shivers down her back.

No crew member had paid attention to other things happening on the ship otherwise they would have seen two small, very secretive companions preparing to create havoc.

 


	7. Chapter 7

All of a sudden there were several explosions all over the deck, which were spreading rapidly to the front sails. A few sailors were standing petrified on the deck, others tried to find the source and waited for instructions. But none came. The captain and his superior Lord Beckett were too shocked. He pulled Elizabeth even closer to himself as if she would disappear when he let go. Mercer had not even flinched. He was calmly trying to assess the situation.

Elizabeth was one of the first recovering from the initial shock and tried to make other ships out in the darkness. They had to be under attack! Unfortunately she could not free herself from Beckett’s icy grasp. Why did he not react? He stood there rooted to the spot. But it looked as if the explosions came independent from each other from the deck! Not from outside. Someone had to stop the fire! If it reached the main sails then they would be stuck. But the sails did not worry her! They were a heavily gunned vessel with lots of powder! If the fire reached the powder, then the whole ship would explode! She began shouting commands at the sailors.  This seemed to finally wake Beckett up from his frozen stance. His wife was giving commands to his sailors! She had no authority to do that! And they had the audacity to follow her commands! He could see as they separated the front sails from the others and used them together with water to extinguish the fire. When they have finally managed to put the fire out they could hear an airily voice screaming “fire! ya! death haha!”

Elizabeth recognized the voice! It sounded like a distant ghostly voice but the way it was spoken reminded her of Cotton’s parrot!  Was she hallucinating? Did she wish so hard not to be alone, that she heard voices which weren’t there? “That is the voice, Sir!” Mercer shouted to Beckett, who raised his voice for the first time since the incident.  “Everyone search the ship! This is no ghost! I repeat: This is no ghost! We seem to have either a loose pirate or a stowaway on board!” Elizabeth dared to hope again. Maybe she was not the only survivor.  With the sailors searching the ship he dragged a struggling Elizabeth back to his office and his berth! There was no way that he would miss his wedding night because of a pack of incompetent sailors!

Elizabeth, after being forcefully dragged back, was standing once again in the berth she had come to hate so much! The incident from before was suddenly forgotten! The curtains separating the berth from the office were drawn and only a small oil lamp hanging above their heads was offering some orange, red flickering light. But know the walls of the once spacious berth seemed to be closing in. Beckett was already shedding his clothes in preparation for the next step. 

In a normal wedding night she would have time to prepare herself. She would have been brought away from the wedding celebrations and be prepared by maids for her husband. She would have to change in a white nightgown, but as this had been a hasty sea wedding, she would have to shed her dress and be with her husband. Elizabeth did not want to get dress down as the dress was the only barrier to protect her from her husband’s closeness. As Beckett lost layer of layer of clothing she could not help but stare. She had expected a slight plump, but was surprised with a rather athletic upper body. It seemed that the thorn of her marriage trained regularly with his rapier. He then moved out from her sight and appeared standing behind her and was already eagerly loosening the bindings of her dress. He was too close again, but she knew that he would get even closer in the next few hours. But she hoped and prayed to her god and all the gods that could be out there that he would not last long, and that he would go gentle, but that hope was crushed as he ripped the last binding and pulled her dress and almost everything else down. Elizabeth stood there rigid in her undergarments and did not dare to move. Her heartbeat became faster and the air seemed to get less by after each breath.  She stood there naked in all her glory for him to see and braced herself for his next move. He only took a deep breath and then moved forward circling her like a predator his pray. Elizabeth tried to cover herself but he was circling her and touching her with his fingertips which left her skin tingling. Suddenly he was pulling her into his arms, but waking from her shock she fought against him. If he wanted to have then he should earn her. He pushed her onto his bed and trapped her under his body, fisted his left hand in her hair and took her mouth. Elizabeth froze in shock against the onslaught of sensation. The heat of him burning into her skin, the feel of his body, against her, and his unique smell of tea, whine and cologne, it was nothing that she had ever felt before. She felt his hot hands and his cold signet ring burning against her bronze skin as they moved down her side, over her hips and back touching her breast. She struggled again trying to get away from him, but his weight kept her down and she stopped struggling

His skin was so smooth, soft and warm. Her suddenly hands stopped pushing him away and instead started to discover his chest. He moaned and pulled back. Her eyes were captured by his eyes which were now dark with passion and his mouth was slightly swollen. He waited shortly till she gasped in a breath before bending his head again to plunder (?) her soft mouth again. She whimpered and fought remembering that she did not want him doing this, digging her nails into his neck and scalp trying to shove him back. Finally she managed to jerk her mouth away from his and then shuddered at the feel of his mouth against her neck. The gasp that escaped her lips was involuntary and when he trapped her arms, his mouth suckling on her neck, her body switched between hot and cold in a matter of heartbeats. His tongue flicked out against her skin as her head fell back.  She didn’t like the feelings that he started within her. Those were for Will alone. He had been her true love, the one who had seen her as an equal and not as a wife to be subordinated by her husband. She had no idea what the liquid pull in her stomach or the knots in her stomach or the fire on her skin meant, but she was sure that it had to be wrong.

She could feel his mouth wandering from her neck to her left breast and she trembled again. Her hands were trying to push him away. His other hand slipped over her ribcage to close over her right breast and the air in her lungs shuddered out past her lips. She wanted to arch back against him, into him.

“No,” she whimpered again.  “Yes,” the word was a breath against right breast that he seemed to love as he licked and kissed it only to switch to her other one when a moan escaped her swollen mouth. His free hand continued to caress her “Stop,” she writhed against him, against the feelings racing all over her.

“Never, you’re mine,” his mouth closed over her left nipple while another breath escaped past her lips.

“No,” This was wrong. It was a betrayal of everyone she had fought with and everything she had ever dreamed of. She had to find a way to stop him. His fingertips found a hardened peak of her sensitized nipples and she whimpered again. _Oh God what is he doing?!_

She didn’t want his hands on her; she wanted him to leave her alone. She even thought for a moment that he would do that as he moved away from her, but then she felt it; his right hand was pushing her legs further apart.

She as trying to kick him, trying to wrestle free but his other hand found her where she was hot, wet and to her horror aching. Her body was betraying her! He found the spot that was aching with sensation and she cried out trying to bring (?) her thighs closer together to stop him. To her dismay she felt her hips shifting, moving against the wicked sensations. She squeezed her legs tighter around his wrist but he was undeterred, sliding two fingers deep within her. _,_ “Oh God,” she gasped, her fingers digging into his arm to stop him. “Please, don’t” she begged.

“My sweet Elizabeth,” His breath wafted towards her while his hands did unspeakable things to her body. “Let me!” This could not be right! Maybe it would help her to survive this night by imagining that her former fiancé did these things to her.

She could feel his arousal against her legs hot and hard. His fingers thrust deeper and her thighs loosened their grip, she could not control them anymore. He worked her inexperienced body with his fingers between her legs and with kisses on her breasts. The fire in her belly grew stronger and hotter until it exploded, casting heat everywhere on her body. She felt him pull his fingers out only to replace them with something thicker. She felt his shaft against her entrance and closed her eyes. This was the moment she was dreading the most. It was pushing against her, and into her. She realized that it was him just as he pierced her virginity. She cried out, squeezing her eyes shut. There was small pain lancing through her shortly, but as he slowly pushed further in, she gasped as he withdrew slowly and plunged in again in a steady rhythm. Her eyes burned with tears of denial as he thrust even deeper, making her smoulder (smoulder with repressed emotion?)  and writhe (to writhe emotionally?) against him. She tried to stifle the groan that escaped her lips.

She felt his hands moving over her breasts and hips, up to her hair, brushing away the damp locks to She could hear his heated whispers against her skin praising her, begging her to take more, to take everything. She couldn’t help the moans and whimpers and gasps that escaped her as she sought to meet him. She knew that she sounded like a she wanted it but she couldn’t stop her body from responding. There was tension building inside her as his hips began to move with greater force and speed, grinding against a certain spot inside her that intensified her groaning. Suddenly the tension snapped and her lips parted, with a desperate cry sounding like the name “Will” escaping them as she shuddered violently beneath him. She suddenly felt him tense, heard him groaning and then a flood of liquid warmth filled her.  Then felt him collapse, felt his hand stroking her stomach, her entire body still humming. She desperately hoped that he had not heard what name she had cried. When the sensations had finally taken over her body she had imagined it was Will who had made her feel like that. But Beckett had heard the name she had cried and already swore to use it against her when he could form a coherent thought again.

 

 


	8. Chapter 8

This bleak morning they had finally reached the familiar port of Port Royal. Elizabeth was fidgeting nervously with her dress as she thought about what would happen when they would finally descended the planks to the harbour she had called her home for the last few years. Would Beckett move into her father’s house? Probably, as all the fortune she had inherited became immediately Beckett's the day she had been forced to marry him. She was dreading this uncertainty. When she had asked her "dear" husband he had naturally only smirked and told her to be patient. She was definitely not a patient person! Now that she had finally settled into some routine on the ship she had to get used to an absolutely new one on land. Her "dear" husband had unfortunately heard the name she had shouted in ecstasy on their wedding night and had punished her severely. He had forced her to learn new things for her "conjugal duties". Things which could bring a man great pleasure if done correctly, but which she just found disgusting and degrading. She had spat at him, scratched him and shouted at him that she is his wife and not some common tavern wrench to do such a thing, but it had been fruitless of course. Beckett **always** got what he wanted. After that he would fully burry himself inside her and her mind would temporarily go blank.  She could only feel him and hear his groans and her own moans. She had learned that the less she fought him the less he would "teach" her and after some days the disgusting practices stopped. He had ordered her to stay behind the curtains, during the day, except for the meal and tea times. This was something which she had not been able to do as she had become utterly bored by just looking at the windows and the wooden panels. She had found it quite amusing trying to find out about pushing his limits, especially when the other commanders of his fleet where in the room, but never managed his behaviour to falter. The only signs of annoyance could have been seen in his eyes. Becket’s swift revenge had come the next morning.

After another sensuous night, he had taken her discarded dress to the opposite side of the room, leaving her naked under her white blankets. On this day the different commanders had tiptoed around Beckett, because they had been able to hear him chuckle without reason sometimes, which usually meant that something was up. As the days had became longer and longer (at least Elizabeth felt that way) she stayed behind the curtains and started to fall asleep more often. She had not been doing anything and yet she had been incredibly tired.

 She did not think that Beckett had been responsible for her fatigue, as he was not able to stay awake late at night. In her entire life before she had never been so bored. In the past there had always been something for her to discover, read, write or even secret swordfight practice. But now she became tired just because of boredom! Sadly, her only daily highlights had become Beckett's conjugal joining. And that bastard knew it! This fact had been something which annoyed her intensely.

"Are you ready to enter your **beloved** town as Lady Beckett, my dear?" teased her husband’s voice silkily from behind her.

"No", she turned to face him "not before I know what is going to happen now."

 "Now, my dear we will hang the remaining pirates of course." he told a gasping Elizabeth. Had he tricked her? Would she die now? He had had his fun with her on the ship after all. Now he could discard her. 

* * *

 

Evening settled over the picturesque town called Port Royal. Usually Elizabeth had enjoyed the setting of the sun from her rooms in her late father’s house. But today she would not be sleeping in her sanctuary.  Currently they were sitting on his balcony enjoying silently their exquisite meal. Beckett had tried to make some sort of conversation but unfortunately his wife seemed to be mentally elsewhere. During their short ride in the carriage he had seen her fighting back tears. He understood that she had many memories of this town as she grew from a young child to a beautiful woman here. Her loving relationship with her father was also something he could not understand. It puzzled him.

His relationship with his father had been completely different. Another thing that his father could not stand about him was that he loved reading in different languages greek, latin, french, spanish and italian. His late old school master Angus MacFarlin had discovered his thirst for knowledge and tutored him additionally to the other students.

As his father was only able to speak english and a bit of french his old school master had told him that his father might have been jealous. Little Beckett even had had no problems in doing calculus and was even better than his much elder brothers.

But unfortunately the old school master had also started his unhealthy interest in pirates and the hunt for the occult. After a heavy beating of the other children, the old school master had given him a book called: "My Lyfe Amonge the Pyrates by Captain J. Ward".

This particular book had been the reason he had had dealings with Jack Sparrow before. But at that time Sparrow had worked as an honest man in the East India Trading Company. He had looked like a gentleman and nothing like the pirate he was now. He had been impressed by Sparrows skills in negotiating with pirates (not knowing of course that the pirate captain called Angelica which had attacked the Company vessel had had a soft spot for Sparrow since childhood) and his quick learning abilities. He had no idea why so many women had a soft spot for that stupid drunkard. Elizabeth had clearly liked him to some part otherwise she would not have saved him. Or was it because she had felt honour bound to him.

He could see that Elizabeth was fighting tears again, staring at the sea. Her question on the ship had caught him off guard. She seemed to believe that he would kill her. But only he knew that he had no intention of doing so. He had sworn himself that he would never touch another woman, but his wife.

His father had had other women besides his mother and had also frequented brothels with his business partners. Then he had infected his already sickly mother who then had died horribly after a long time of suffering. His monster of a father was still alive as far as he knew. No! He would look after his Elizabeth, his fiery treasure. He would make her forget that lowly Blacksmith.

"Are we moving in my father's house?" Elizabeth interrupted his train of thoughts, bringing him back to the reality.

 "Yes, but until the remodelling is not finished, we will live in my house", he informed her. "Remodelling?" Elizabeth stuttered.

 "Yes, your father did not have the worst taste, but he certainly has neglected to keep his house in order."

"The house is fine!" she insisted. Beckett sighed. Technically she was correct. The house had been kept in impeccable order, but the style of the interior was not in the latest fashion and definitely not entirely to his taste. Another reason for the remodelling was that he wanted to change many things which could evoke a remembrance of her late father. Of course he would never tell her that.

 "What exactly are you remodelling?" she wanted to know hoping that it was not too much. "Almost  everything my dear, although I've decided that I will not remodel your rooms on the third floor at the present moment."

"Why?" she asked astonished. "Because I think we will have to change them in the very near future. I will take your father's rooms."

 "What will happen to my father's things?"

"That depends on their value! You should write a small list of things that you want to keep, but I will not allow you to keep everything. It is my house now!

To stop his wife from protesting he changed to another topic. "You are going to accompany me to the hangings tomorrow! The remaining pirates are going to be hanged and you are going to be at my side."

Elizabeth shuddered but she was certain it was not because of the fine breeze coming from the sea. "Will you hang me too?" she whispered. "

 "Elizabeth! I'm sick and tired of you asking me if I am going to kill you! I believed you to be intelligent! **You** signed the contract and **I** did too. You are my wife and **I** intend to keep it that way for a **long** time. Did I make myself clear!" he snapped with a hint of annoyance not knowing that this declaration would create horrible misunderstandings in the far away future.

"Inescapably clear." came the mumbled answer from his young wife.

 

* * *

 

Later that night Beckett savoured every moment of their coupling. He was absolutely enjoying the sounds his lovely wife made. She always tried to block him out and resist him at first, but her body was already accustomed to his touch and the last thought he was able to make that night before he lost himself in pleasure, that he would never let her go! She was his and **his** alone!

 

* * *

 

In the morning Elizabeth woke earlier than usual. The night before had shown a different side of her husband. He had seemed more caring during their coupling. This had probably been some twisted trick of him. She had to help her comrades somehow as she had betrayed them by marrying the enemy. She felt sick! Maybe she could slip away unnoticed. But her thoughts were interrupted by the tightening of a strong arm around her waist, pulling her to her husband’s chest, who was lying behind her. "Don't even think about helping them!" he murmured sleepily into her hair. He wanted her to watch her former comrades die to close this chapter of her life permanently. No more pirating for his wife!

Two hours later Elizabeth was standing in the fort again next to Beckett. There was a huge line of pirates, looking dirty, starved and ragged. Once in a while she glimpsed a person which looked familiar. Beckett, to her dismay, had forced her to wear a dress with a corset again. She had almost fainted at the idea to wear one of these dresses again and had hyperventilated. When one of her maids had assured her that they would not tie the corset too tight she had calmed down. 

This dreadful dress was horribly tight and she had difficulties in breathing. The sun was burning mercilessly down at them and due to her dread of the executions she was experiencing severe nausea since this morning. More than once did she have to grab her husband’s hand for keeping her upright.

"All these people died because of me!" she thought. "Just because I wanted to avenge my father!" She feared that would secure her a place either in hell or in Davy Jonesˋs locker.

After the last line of pirates was wiped out by the executioners she wanted to huddle back to the safety of carriage, but Beckett stopped her, his right hand on her hip.

"Not yet! My dear, not yet!"

 "But there are anymore pirates!" she frowned. "The pirates of the Black Pearl are the last ones!" he informed her a little too happily.

"I want you to watch them hang so that you remember your place. You are safe only **with** me, my dear." Elizabeth was not able to breathe properly anymore and leaned against the wall in the cold shadow of the arc they were standing under.

She could not let them die! She could not survive them! They had literally sailed to the world’s end together! They had trusted her judgment and she had failed them. Beckett waited until each member of the small crew of the Black Pearle had mounted the scaffold and made his presence known to them by stepping forward from the shadows into the sun.

The effect was immediate. The gnome and the one eyed were mumbling between them, Gibbs sent curses against him and Jack looked just defeated and even more dirty than usual. Marty had to stand on an old barrel to reach the sling. Barbossa also sent curses against Beckett and spit at his executioners.

"Where is Elizabeth?!" shouted Jack coming out of his stupor.

"She received a full pardon!" came Beckettˋs smug answer. Now he had the full attention of her comrades, turned to Elizabeth took her hand and pulled her forward to his side. He could hear the surprised gasps of her comrades.

"Itˋs Elizabeth!" Gibbs shouted surprised.

"You sold us out you filthy whore!" came the angry voice of Barbossa. Elizabeth was looking guiltily at her friends and pondered at any possibility to save her friends. As much as Beckett loved the pirates’ distress he almost felt sorry for his wife, who was clearly struggling with her conscious.

"Proceed!" he ordered the clerk who started the long procedure of listing their crimes. Elizabeth wanted to grab the rapier from one of the captains near them and aid her friends, but she knew she would not come far because of several reasons. Her lack of air and nausea were one of them. At the moment when she heard: "May god have mercy on your souls" she gasped "No!" stepping forward. But she was no longer able to focus as her cursed corset won the battle and everything went black around her.


	9. Chapter 9

Elizabeth was slowly drifting back to the world of the living. In the distance she could hear see gulls complaining heavily about something, shouting like people in a drill.

She felt that she was lying on something soft and cool. It felt like fresh bed sheets. Someone must have put a small wet sheet on her front to cool her down. As she was opening her tired eyes and taking in her surroundings she realized that she was back in the bedroom she shared with her husband. Seeing the reddish light coming from the windows it seemed that the day was currently coming to an end.

Had she slept through the rest of the day? Was the execution of her friends just a nightmare?

"Please, just let it be a nightmare" she thought hopefully but her small spark of hope was suddenly crushed by seeing the very man she despised so much sitting comfortably in a large ornamented green armoire reading a book intently.

Why was he in their room? Shouldn't he still be in his office? Destroying more lives? He looked so relaxed reading this dark leather book. She was able to breathe normally again so someone must have removed her cursed corset. She hoped that it had not been her husband. He would never let her to live this down. As she was trying to get into a sitting position she was alerting her husband to be awake.

"You have finally woken up." he remarked drily. "Do you have any idea how late it is?"

"You were the one forcing me to wear a corset although I have told you that I hate them." She refused to get riled up by him again. She was not in a mood to sleep with him tonight. She just wanted to get back to sleep.

"What happened?" she wanted to know. "Are they…"her voice broke imagining that her friends had been executed.

"They got what they deserved." he told her calmly. "Although you spoiled my fun by deciding to faint." he remarked reading again.

"They are dead! Now I don't have any hope to escape!" she thought. She was responsible for their deaths.

"Deciding to faint!" she shot back. "I did not decide to faint. Your bloody corset inhibited me from breathing."

"Language, Elizabeth! You are not among filthy pirates anymore" he reprimanded her. "Well, it would not have been the first time. Am I right?"

The way he was looking at her made her uneasy again. She had to be careful now. This was his typical foreplay conversation. Riling her up until he decided to "punish" her in joining her and eliciting passionate moans from her body.

Lying down again she rolled to her right side, pulled up her blanket and snuggled further into her white soft pillow. She was too tired for any nightly exercise. He could screw himself. She wanted to sleep. With her closed eyes she listened to any small noise from her husband. But with her closed eyes she missed the most unusual facial expression on her husband.

He was frowning. He did not want to feel this way, but he was worried about her. This was a feeling that was quite foreign to him. Especially connected to a person. Looking at her almost sleeping form he went over the events former in the day.

At the exact same time Elizabeth had fainted the sky had suddenly darkened and a thunderstorm had broken out. One of the most heavily armed vessels had suddenly started to attack the fortress where the executions were taking place. He had assumed that she had simply repeated the same trick she had played on the former Commodore Norrington and he had no desire to let her slip through his fingers again. When one of the captains had tried to help her he had ordered them to leave her be as she seemed to be faking it. In the chaos that followed the members of the Black Pearl were able to escape. Something that made him horribly angry! They had completely even disregarded their former Pirate King. So much for honour among pirates.

Elizabeth could never find out! He would make sure of it. She should not have hope for escaping to lead a pirate life.

They had still to find out how one of the most heavily guarded vessels could have been taken over by pirates. He had sent several ships after it because he rather wanted to see this ship on the bottom of the ocean than in the hands of pirates. And this particular crew had a knack for escaping. He wanted them dead!

After the incident he had realized that Elizabeth had not moved an inch during the commotion. Behold! She had not been faking it! Her breathing had been very slow and once in a while she was unconsciously snapping for air.

Hurryingly he had opened the back of her dress with the corset to help her breathing more easily. He could not lose her now! He still needed an heir and he loved their quarrelling. Her face became always completely flushed and she always fought back intellectually. She was thrilling and unconvential.

She had been horribly pale and her delicious lips had a slightly blue shade on them. She needed air!

When he had laid her on their bed he had removed her dress, leaving her completely in her undergarments and put the soft cool white linen blanket around her. Maybe he had been too hard on her. She was a woman after all.

She had been fighting legendary see monsters and heathen gods without being afraid, but she was terrified of a corset?

Why?

The elderly white haired doctor with a completely wrinkly and weathered face had arrived completely out of breath as he had been summoned immediately to Beckett's house to examine her diligently under Beckett's scrutiny.

His colleague working on the ships had informed him about his work with Lord Beckett and had warned him not to antagonise him.

He had asked Beckett questions about what Elizabeth had eaten in the last few days, if she had been stung by something, if she had worn a corset or if she had behaved differently lately, knowing full well that they were now married over a month and what activities that entailed.

Cutler Beckett had calmly answered everything he knew with remarkable patience. Something he was not known for among the sailors. But he had been close to snapping.

"She could not keep her food down this morning but I believed it to be dread of seeing her former comrades' executions." he added. "And she complaint about her corset but I fail to see why these relentless questions are important."

"Unfortunately, my Lord these questions arehighly important for determining the reason for her current state." the old doctor had dared to oppose him. "There are some factors which could be the reason for her current state."

"Which are?" Beckett had snarled, finally losing his patience.

"Firstly, as you correctly pointed out her presence during her friends' executions. There is a huge discussion among medically trained academics on how far the mind can influence the bodily reaction. But this does not really sound like hysteria to me. Secondly, by letting your wife wear a corset you limit the chances of getting a healthy child. I have seen woman who have started wearing corsets at a very young age which rendered them completely infertile or it resulted in a sudden infant death syndrome, stillbirth or heavily deformed for you, your wife is not accustomed to wear a corset as she grew up away from the political centre and therefore the irrational horror of female fashion."

Beckett had been silent, going over everything the elderly, experienced doctor had told him.

"Another reason could be the weather." The elder man had gone on.

"The weather?" Beckett had asked curiously. "How can the weather be responsible?"

"It was far hotter than usual and much damper. And as I assume your wife was standing all this time in her corset from the early morning to almost noon." To Beckett's nodding he had continued. "After being confined to a small room on the ship for almost a month, without much exercise I assume she was not used to this anymore."

"There was exercise." Beckett thought.

"And as you and your wife are newlyweds I assume that she could also be carrying a child. Of course it is still too early to determine after a month, especially as she is still very slender, but you would be able to tell in a few month."

Lord Beckett had become very silent. The doctor had made some valid points and it was clear that he had a fair share of experience. Maybe he should try to not be so hard on her. Maybe he had been too hard.

"Make sure she eats properly" the doctor had advised him. "And avoid unnecessary distress. Unless you can be sure that she is not carrying your child."

"Elizabeth, you have to eat something" he said into the slowly darkening room hoping that she had not fallen asleep yet.

"Not hungry. Want to sleep now." her heard her murmur tiredly into the pillow. From his viewpoint in his armchair it almost looked as if she was unconsciously eating her white pillow.

Ringing the small golden Bell on the round mahogany bedside table he called for the small broth he had ordered the kitchen to keep warm until Elizabeth woke up. He would not allow her to fall asleep without it.

"Argh! For god's sake let me sleep!" she complained to the ringing from the bed. But as soon as the door opened with one of his old, gray haired kitchen maids bringing the small meal and the delicious smell wafting towards her small nose, her belly began to grumble heavily causing a small chuckle from her husband. Oh how much she despised him and how much he already seemed to know her!

Reluctantly sitting up, the maid put a small tablet in front of her. The broth was simple for a Beckett household. At least compared to what she had gotten to eat until now, but it was delicious.

Watching his wife inhale the broth he pondered their future together.

In a few weeks the governor's house would be ready and she would be able move into her old quarters. He was not sure if he could sleep alone again in a bed after he has gotten so used to holding her in his sleep. Especially in Port Royal.

But his position as a Lord required having separate quarters. On the other hand they were now on the periphery of the empire. Maybe he could break some traditions and stay with her during the night.

He was also hoping that she was already carrying a small Beckett under her heart. But only time would tell.

 


	10. Chapter 10

The sun has set several hours ago. Darkness was surrounding the town of Port Royal.  Elizabeth was sitting comfortably in her large bed, relishing that her husband has not yet returned from his office a few doors down the hall. The book she had nicked a few days ago while he did not pay attention to her and which she knew very well transported her back to her earliest childhood memories. This very book she had read as a small child had started her fascination with the pirates. She had learned about the Pirate Code and about mystical islands no one else had ever found. When she had seen the book in her husband’s collection she had been entirely surprised. Why would he have this book when he hated pirates so much? As it looked old and used she suspected that he also had read it more than once. Her father’s younger and very uptight sister Margaret who had caught her reading this had not been amused. “This is not a book for a proper young lady, my dear.”  

The next time the old dragon as Elizabeth had called her she had brought her a book called: _The Whole Duty of a Woman: Or a Guide to the Female Sex._ Suffice to say that she had buried the book with every intention of burning it after skimming the first pages. She had sworn on that day that she would not be caged like the other woman centuries before her. Her mother’s sister however knowing the book full well had laughed about the uptightness of her father’s sister and murmured: “Óinseach (=female idiot)! Lucky for you there is Celtic blood in you. Don’t worry. They have tried to cage us for centuries but never really have accomplished it. Do you remember what Tacitus wrote about the Celtic tribal women?”

She had indeed not forgotten what she had read about them as she had been fascinated with it. “They fought alongside the men and made sure that no one could escape the fight or they would have killed them?”  “Exactly!”

Looking back at her conversation with one of her favourite aunts she realized that she had been caged by Beckett. As soon as they would move back in the manor she would give it a try to stand up to him. Secretly grinning she thought:”Oh Cutler! You have no idea what I have stored in my rooms!” Tomorrow couldn’t come early enough! She would have her rooms again, her books, her diaries and her weapons and she would lock her husband out! 

A timid knock, probably coming from one of her maids interrupted her musings. “Pardon me, me lady. Your husband would like to see you in his office!”  Elizabeth let out a very unladylike groan and ranted:”Does he have any idea what time it is! I am neither dressed for his office nor do I have any desire to stand up again today. Tell him to ith cac (=eat shit)!”  The maid called Daisy looked terrified at her mistress and pleaded:”Please me lady I do not know what ith cac means and he will fire me if I do not come back with you. I have three siblings who depend on me work here.”  “They know exactly how to play me don’t they?” Elizabeth thought sighing and mentally killing her husband several times. This had better be good!”

He supposed he had given his wife enough time to herself today. As this was the last night in this house before they moved to the bigger manor he wanted to make it memorable and he had discovered that she had stolen one of his books. Whenever someone asked him why he had the book My Lyfe Amonge the Pyrates by Captain J. Ward he told them to study his enemies. The truth however was more complicated. He knew the mystical island with its riches existed but he thanks to Jack Sparrow he had never been able to find it. Believing in this book had also made him believe at a very young age that all the Pirates were following the Pirate code. Unfortunately for him the first pirates he had met had laughed about the code and not followed it. The life as their prisoner had created his complete distaste for their species. He still had some scars of that time and his father had refused to pay his ransom. He had actually written the Pirates a letter to kill him because he would not pay anything for his weakling of a son. Luckily for him Lord Reginald Marmaduke Bracegirdle-Penwallow had paid the ransom for him as he believed him a good investment for the company.

“I will not be summoned like a dog!” Elizabeth stormed in hitting the door right in the poor maids face. Her golden hair was falling loosely in her face and her face had become quite flashed again. Beckett just stood there uprising her slowly and watching her with a small, almost not recognizable grin.

“You may go girl!” he ordered the maid never breaking eyes with Elizabeth’s stormy and angry eyes.  The maid couldn’t wait to get out of this tension filled room and scurried outside holding her nose. How her mistress was so brave in challenging her husband she could never understand.

“You stole a book from my office, my dear. A very particular book I might add.” he said rounding his desk  to get closer to his beauty.

“Is that why you summoned my here! A book! I really thought that you had no need for it anymore!”

“It has sentimental value and I would like to have it back.” he said slowly prancing closer to his prey.

“But you are right. This is not why I have summoned you here! Are you set for tomorrow?” 

“There wasn’t much to set!” she scoffed carefully. The way he came slowly closer to her never leaving her eyes was a dead giveaway of what he probably wanted. But certainly not here in his office! Well it was very dimly lit. Almost as dimly lit as she had first confronted her husband in this very office.

* * *

 

She had to admit he had looked dangerously handsome in that night and now he was standing in front of her, trapping her behind his body and his desk. He was radiating warmth and somehow she felt her thin nightshift wasn’t enough to protect her from the lust she was seeing in his eyes. Slowly he was putting both of his hands on either side of her trapping her further. He was so close now that she could feel his well shaved chin tracing the side of the neck and his manly cultivated smell was incredible arousing. His stomach was pushing her further to the desk while his hands started running down her back and he stepped even closer to her and started trailing kisses up and down her neck and when he kissed her pulse point she could not stop the moan escaping her lips and she pulled him closer eliciting a small groan from him. His bulge in his trousers started probing her lower stomach.  All of a sudden it seemed that he could not wait any longer and lifted her on his desk, stepping between her welcoming thighs. He shifted his hands so that she could feel his left hand roaming her back effectively pushing her further to her, but his right hand had moved under her shift and was teasing her hardening peaks. As much as she hated this man she had to acknowledge that he knew what he was doing. Her hands had started to fiddle with his breeches as she needed him soon and he was wearing considerably more than her. Every time she “accidentally” brushed her hands around his bulge she could hear him hiss. Finally she managed to free his arousal and to her dismay his hand on her back disappeared as he guided himself to her sweet spot. As she felt himself hot and hard slowly pushing inside her folds she arched her back to get him further in and threw her back moaning softly while her husband groaned and bit her right shoulder. While meeting each of his trust Elizabeth’s upper body moved further down to the desk taking him with her as their coupling became more and more erratic and both were moaning their lust and desire in crescendo for each other. The desk she was lying on was creating a perfect angle for her as he was able to enter even deeper and grinding against her soft spot which made her see stars more often. The familiar tension in her stomach was growing. Her husband had moved her shift even further up to expose her standing breasts which he trailed with kisses while worshipping her with every trust.  Elizabeth felt that she was on the brink of ecstasy as she felt her walls to tighten and flutter uncontrollable. Listening to her husband’s groaning and pace he was not far behind.  Suddenly the tension snapped and her lips parted, with a desperate cry and she shook uncontrollably under him. Her cry had also brought her husband over the brink as she felt him tense and groan and the familiar liquid warmth filled her again.   Her husband was still slowly moving inside her while trying to catch his breath. He had the most curious look on his face as he almost lovingly moved a loose lock from her face. 

He would definitely never look at his desk the same as before as the picture of his naked wife spread above it was firmly imprinted in his mind.

 


	11. Chapter 11

Today was the day she could finally move back into her manor. She could not wait to finally step through the front door again and hoped that her husband had not completely changed the interior of the house to his liking. His taste was quite good, she reluctantly had to admit that, but she preferred the house as it was. Although he had promised that he would not refurnish her quarters she did not trust him entirely and she swore to check if he had exchanged the locks. She really wanted to be left alone in her quarters. A whole bed just for herself! What a luxury! Her husband just loved to hold her in an iron embrace during the night while sleeping next to her and she had unfortunately no chance of slipping away. This morning he had informed her that she had to come to his quarters immediately when summoned. He could screw himself. She had just sent him one of her most annoyed looks and had fought an unladylike grin. He may have changed the furniture of the house but she still knew all its secrets.  She knew which parts of the houses had hidden rooms or passageways and where she had hidden all her unladylike weapons as her dreadful aunt from her father’s family would say. She remembered that she had some medical drinks which she could slip him unnoticed and he would fall asleep on the spot. Revenge was sweet!  The tide would finally turn in her favour and he had absolutely no idea what was coming for him. She would also lock herself inside her quarters. He had no right to enter them without her consent. Although he was very talented at seducing her, a fact which he had proven time and again, she did want to spend at least one night without him. His intentions were quite clear. Her remaining family relations on the European continent and in England had probably no idea that she was married to the horribly irritating man or that her father was dead by order of the very same man she was married to. She had to establish contact as soon as possible. Would they be able to help her? He was one of the most influential men in the empire. This would probably quite tricky as he controlled all the ships coming and leaving. But she hoped that he had not exchanged all the servants, because she liked them and knew that they were trustworthy. But best of all! She would have all her books again and write her experiences down. Maybe even correspond under her pseudonym with some of her old contacts around the globe, which she had been writing before the whole fiasco. Lady Comptesse de la Roque in France would probably find clear words to her predicament.

Entering the spacious room he saw his wife walking a hole in the ground by walking circles with a dangerous glint in her eyes. She was suppressing a malicious grin. This was dangerous!  His wife was scheming and seemed to get better at the thought of moving back into her former house. It appeared that the sickness which she had displayed again this morning had passed. It had been the fourth time this week that she had been feeling dreadful in the morning. He had also counted back and found that she had not yet had her courses once since their marriage, which was in their fourth month now. He had had one sister. He knew about females. She seemed to not have realized it yet, but she was in for a surprise, because despite his promise, he had made some small adjustments to her vast quarters. But only several minor ones. Exchanging the locks was one of them. Placing something else right next to her bed was another. She had to get used to it anyway. The weapons he had found stashed in her room were safely stashed away in closed boxes in the cellar. He would not miss her shocked look which she would certainly display, but he had to be careful. Knowing that she was most likely carrying his child, he did not want to risk her loosing it. It would be hard for him to resist touching and having her like he had almost every day in the last few months, but he would definitely force her to sleep next to him at night. He had become so used to holding her in his sleep and smelling her unique flagrant, that he could not accept her sleeping in her own quarters and as they were directly under his own quarters there was a small chance that she would try to slip away unnoticed. He knew it was not appropriate for his rank of society to share quarters at night, but they were in the periphery of the empire. He knew that his father had repeatedly forced himself on his mother even during pregnancies and because of that he had caused several miscarriages and had effectively weakened an already physically ill woman. He was Lord Cutler Beckett and not even close to his monster of a father. He was the better man. He would not burden his wife with the horror of a miscarriage which he had seen several times on his mother.

“The carriage is waiting, Elizabeth!” he informed her holding out his hand to her. She wore a light dress without a corset which allowed her to breathe properly. Her dark blond hair was tucked to her head in a delicate structure and with the sun shining through the glass window she looked deliciously beautiful. Taking her hand he led his beautiful young wife outside to the already waiting black carriage. He would not let go of her hand until she was safely in their new home. Too much could happen on the ride there. She could even try an ill-conceived escape. As the carriage lurched forward Elizabeth gasped and held her free hand in front of her mouth. Looking at her he could see that she had turned pale green in the face again. If the squeeze of her hand he was holding was any indication, she tried to concentrate on breathing and not let anything escape her sweet red mouth.

 “If you are not feeling well you should lie down as soon as we arrive, my dear.” he told her condescendingly but to his surprise no response came from his wife. A few silent minutes passed while the carriage was pulled upwards through the streets towards the former governor’s house. His wife had violently closed her eyes and tried to control her breathing in order to keep her from vomiting. She was looking positively pale and her hand was squeezing the life out of his hand, but he did not mind. Looking out of the window he could see the fence of the large manor coming into view and he contemplated if he should post some guards along it. Passing through it he could spot all their servants of the household already lined up right in front of the house to greet them just as he had ordered them to. They knew that he would spend the next few weeks evaluating their work and cut the bad and lazy ones. The black carriage stopped in front of the manor and he helped his stunning wife out of it who looked up to the impressive white and grey building. The humid heat was unbearable heavy at the moment and it would not take long for the short daily rain to come, but he preferred to be in the house by then. Spotting the lined up servants her face became brighter as they all were almost the same ones who had been working for her father. Guiding her past them, they curtsied or bowed, just as they were expected to. Some faces must have seemed familiar to her because she smiled at a few.

Stepping up to the entrance and through the big brown, newly painted door she found herself in the entrance hall which had changed dramatically. The once grey walls were now shining in pearl white colour, while some parts of the furnishing had stayed the same and others had been replaced. The curtains had also been replaced by white linen and golden embroidered ones made of silk. Looking at the paintings she also detected that all of them had been replaced. Her old grandfather’s painting had been replaced by a picture of Isaac Newton, which did not surprise her as she had found that her husband quite adored his theories. While the dark mahogany table was still the same, all the chairs with yellow embroidery in its immediate surrounding had been replaced by chairs with red and golden embroidery. Her husband seemed to have a fable for red and gold for some reason.    The big Chinese vases were still there as she knew how expensive they had been. Apparently her dear husband knew their valour. The doors to the neighbouring rooms and to the salon were unfortunately closed, but she would soon find out what had been redecorated. Standing in the entrance hall she could suddenly not help herself and remembered the countless talks she had in this room with her father, how happy she had been at seeing Will on that fateful day. Her eyes were beginning to water and she just wanted to go to her chambers and cry herself to sleep remembering all those she had lost. Her father, her fiancé and her friends. Without waiting for Beckett’s approval she held parts of her dress and began to ascent the stairs towards her safe heaven but to her dismay her husband silently followed. He was uncharacteristically silent today. It was quite difficult climbing the stairs. She never had had problems before? Why was she out of breath so soon? It seemed that she had neglected her routine by just lying or sitting in bed without any physical activity and the nightly pleasures did not count for her. After what seemed an eternity she was standing at the main entrance of her quarters and with shaking hands she carefully grabbed the golden handle of the white double door and slowly opened twising it towards the right side while holding her breath. Would she find her quarters untouched, just like Beckett had promised or had he also redecorated it to his liking? Had he been in her quarters? Had he found all her weapons? She had sacrificed some of her favourite dresses in order to smuggle them in transporting chests during the crossing from England. Her husband was standing right behind her. Why did he smile so smugly? That was not good. He should not be with her while entering her most private rooms. This was her moment! These were her quarters, her books, her mother’s heirlooms! Her safe heaven!

“If you don’t mind, I would like to do this on my own.” Elizabeth said by turning towards her husband.

“Yes, Elizabeth. I do mind. These may be your quarters, but the house is mine now.”

Elizabeth squirmed slightly under his intense gaze, but desperately wanted to have this moment for herself. “A fact,which you tell are not getting tired of reminding me, but I need this moment for myself!”

“You can have your moment, Elizabeth.” the wigged man agreed, seemingly reluctantly stepping back which relieved Elizabeth for a moment. Becket started to smirk again:”But only after you have given your approval to the minor changes to your quarters.”  ‘Minor changes’ Elizabeth thought with shocked eyes and accelerated heartbeat. ‘What has he changed?’.

“What changes?” Elizabeth cried outraged with a higher pitched voice. “You promised that you wouldn’t change anything in my quarters!”

“That I did, but I suggest seeing for yourself. After all you have ample time to get used to the changes.”

Elizabeth let out some profanities which she had picked up during her time among the pirates, furiously turned and pulled the door open and stormed in expecting a complete change of decorations, but was surprised at the decorations which greeted her: Everything looked the same, smelled the same and even her small Italian armoire clock made the same ticking sound as if she had never left. Carefully she stepped through her quarters, investigating every room, but nothing looked changed. Had her husband mocked her? She dared not to check for her hidden weapons behind the cupboards as she heard her husband’s relaxed but firm steps behind her. It seemed that he had just made a personal joke on her expense again. Nothing was changed.

When she came to her bedroom with her large bed of dark mahogany wood and white linen  Elizabeth came to a sudden halt and gasped in shock!

 

 

 

 

 


	12. Chapter 12

Right next to her bed was a high white baby crib with elaborate woodcarving. But Beckett had promised that he would not change anything in her room. Why would he put it in her room now? To remind her of the contract she had been forced to sign without proper time to study it. She hated that she did not know the exact phrasing of the contract. Had he put this thing in her chambers to remind her of her "duty".Well, it shouldn't be a duty, but a pleasure that she had wished to share with Will. Each time she had done the deed with her husband, as pleasurable as it had been; she had always felt guilty afterwards thinking about her lost fiancé. Once or twice she had imagined seeing him in a dark corner, standing completely still, looking at her accusingly while cold wet sea water was slowly dripping to the ground from his dark brown hair and completely wet clothes. His skin having a greyish white colour, while some part of his front and his cheek covered by seashells. She had betrayed him and her crew by marrying Beckett and choosing life. She should have chosen to die with her fiancé. She should have followed them in their watery grave. Her family would have already waited for her there. Her lovely mother, who had died in child birth, her lively brother, who had died because of a particularly heavy form of influenza, her beloved righteous father which she had lost because Lord Beckett had ordered his death. Lord Beckett, her husband, the monster. The monster she had lain in bed with.

Elizabeth was unable to keep the gathering bile back and gasped while tears started to stream down her face and she quickly sat down on the edge of her bed as her knees gave way."Elizabeth?" her husband asked and she had to give him credit. He almost sounded worried as he stepped next to her bed and put his hand on her shoulder. It was probably another of his stupid and annoying games he loved to play. She was so tired of it. She was tired of it all."Don't touch me!" she hissed dangerously and angrily shrugged off his hand. He tried to put it back, but she slapped it away."I said, don't touch me!" she hissed again. "Murderer."Beckett stopped and looked taken aback."What did you say?" he asked. "I knew that carrying women are prone to fast mood swings but you are fast becoming legendary in it." he mused."You heard me, perfectly. You murdered my father and now you are living in his house. You have no idea how hard it was for him to come so far. Get out!" Elizabeth ordered angrily, breathing heavily while pointing her left index finger in the direction of the exit of her chambers."I did not murder your father, Elizabeth" Beckett explained to her with calm body language, yet she could see his glowing anger shimmering through his angry eyes. He never showed his anger in his body language. The calmer he became, the more dangerous he would become she knew.

"He chose his own fate." Beckett repeated the same familiar phrase she had heard so often in context with her father again.But Elizabeth had enough. She slid towards her head board of her bad, went down with her upper body towards the pillow which would look to her husband as if she was lying down, turned away from him. She slid her right hand under her mattress until she felt a familiar panel of her grating and pulled a cold coiled metal handle out, sat up fast again and threw it precisely at her unnerving husband who had retreated believing that she wanted to lie down.

But to Elizabeth's dismay he was able to jump out of harm's way with a rather unmanly high yelp.He stared at the small curved dagger, which stuck out of her screen. Seconds trickled by until he dryly noted:

"And here I thought I had found all your little toys. Seems that I have to search your chambers more diligently again" He wrenched it out and admired its form. On the first look, it might have seemed like a letter opener, but he could detect that the blade was rather sharp and the knife perfectly balanced. She could have killed him, had he not seen his wife throw something at him in the mirror.

"Get some rest. It seems that you need it.

And with that he strode out of her cosy chambers admiring the very dagger which could have taken his life a few moments ago.

Elizabeth lay back again feeling drained, empty and nauseous. Why had she chosen life? She was a prisoner in her own house. Not allowed to do anything without the permission of her much despised husband. As she heard the key being turned she knew that he even had locked her in. Everything was better than living like this. She could be with her loved ones now in the Afterlife.

With Will, her father and her family.'We are fighters' her mother had said to her once. 'We don't give up.' Her mother had also been able to spare, she remembered and her father had told her more than once that her mother's strength had attracted him to her. Her family had not quite liked her marrying an Anglican, but she had been in love and therefore even changed her faith. Yet, she still had instructed her daughter how to worship in the catholic way. Elizabeth had been taught how to secretly appear to be an Anglican. Her aunts were strong women, but where did they take their strength from and where should she get hers. She needed their advice, but every letter would be intercepted by her own husband. Maybe she could write some and give it to one of the maids. No. The only way to get the letters off Port Royal was through ships of the East India Trading Company.

And she had no idea if she was still able to trust the household personnel. They were afraid of Beckett. She had seen it in their eyes.She slowly replayed her last conversation with her husband in her mind. Did he say 'carrying women'?She shivered and her eyes fell on the white crib beside her bed. Slowly her hands wandered to her belly and searched for any change, but there was none. She was still slender and there was no indication that her state could have been changed. But why did she feel sick all the time. Surely she felt sick, because of her hopeless situation? Trapped, in a loveless marriage without any possibility to get out of it. Nausea washed over her again, and she lay down on her bed again, which eased it slightly. No, it couldn't be. On the other hand she know realized that she had been missing her monthly courses. Wasn't that an indication that she had conceived. Tears gathered in her eyes again. Her observant husband had realized it before her. How? She pitied the still unborn child. How could she bring a child into this difficult situation? What if it became just as cruel as her husband?

No she had to get away as soon as possible. Yes, she was his wife, but she would not stay trapped forever.How should she get away? She would need to pick the lock in order to find the secret passageways in the dining room. Unfortunately the door mechanism sometimes blocked, but it would be her only chance. She only hoped that the large dark spiders had not found their way in. She would have to cut her hair this time in order to look male. And she had to stow away on one of the ships not belonging to the East India Trading Company. There were not many, but she just had to hitch a ride in one. But where would she go from here. She better than living like this. She could be with her loved ones now in the Afterlife. With Will, her father and her family.'We are fighters' her mother had said to her once. 'We don't give up.' Her mother had also been able to spare, she remembered and her father had told her more than once that her mother's strength had attracted him to her. Her family had not quite liked her marrying an Anglican, but she had been in love and therefore even changed her faith. Yet, she still had instructed her daughter how to worship in the catholic way. Elizabeth had been taught how to secretly appear to be an Anglican.

Her aunts were strong women, but where did they take their strength from and where should she get hers. She needed their advice, but every letter would be intercepted by her own husband. Maybe she could write some and give it to one of the maids. No. The only way to get the letters off Port Royal was through ships of the East India Trading Company. And she had no idea if she was still able to trust the household personnel. They were afraid of Beckett. She had seen it in their eyes.She slowly replayed her last conversation with her husband in her mind.

Did he say 'carrying women'? She shivered and her eyes fell on the white crib beside her bed. Slowly her hands wandered to her belly and searched for any change, but there was none. She was still slender and there was no indication that her state could have been changed. But why did she feel sick all the time. Surely she felt sick, because of her hopeless situation? Trapped, in a loveless marriage without any possibility to get out of it. Nausea washed over her again, and she lay down on her bed again, which eased it slightly. No, it couldn't be. On the other hand she know realized that she had been missing her monthly courses.

Wasn't that an indication that she had conceived. Tears gathered in her eyes again. Her observant husband had realized it before her. How? She pitied the still unborn child. How could she bring a child into this difficult situation? What if it became just as cruel as her husband? No she had to get away as soon as possible. Yes, she was his wife, but she would not stay trapped forever.How should she get away? She would need to pick the lock in order to find the secret passageways in the dining room. Unfortunately the door mechanism sometimes blocked, but it would be her only chance. She only hoped that the large dark spiders had not found their way in. She would have to cut her hair this time in order to look male. And she had to stow away on one of the ships not belonging to the East India Trading Company. There were not many, but she just had to hitch a ride in one. But where would she go from here. She could go to her father's family, who were british to the core or she could try to reach her aunt in France. Hiding from her husband would be easier among her family, he didn't know anything about. Or perhaps the Comptesse de la Roque could grant her sanctuary. She was known for her distaste for man anyway. She would certainly try to hide her. Yes, she would make for France and stay away from the sea after getting there. But she would have to act quickly as she didn't know how far along she was.She turned to her side and her fatigue finally took over and she slipped into an uneasy sleep.

 

In the parlour Beckett still examined Elizabeth's dagger. How one woman could have that many weapons was beyond him. Why had she riddled her chambers with weapons? Those couldn't only be from her time after meeting Sparrow for the first time. No, a collection of that many weapons took time and he had not found any indication that her father had bought them for her. It rather seemed that she had brought them with her from her passage from England. But why? Where had she learned to use them? Who had taught her? Had her father known that she had all of those? Why had she not used them when the Black Pearl had first attacked Port Royal? The dagger currently in his hand looked older, as if it had been passed down through the generations.

He could identify runes mixed with Latin and Greek letters, but he knew Latin and Greek and still could not decipher their meaning. It seemed that his wife had more than one secret and he intended to find out.Thinking about it, he knew almost everything about her father's family and next to nothing about her mother's family. He needed to recertify that. He had expected some defiance from her moving back into the house, but not that she would actually try to kill him. It seemed that she had not thought that through and had acted emotional. He had not wanted to lock her in her chambers, but she was too cunning to be left to roam the house. The worst thing happening right now would be an ill conceived escape attempt where she could endanger the life of their unborn child and he was certain that she was carrying his child. He had seen it often enough when his mother had been carrying a child, which she had lost shortly after. He had been the youngest and last child to survive childhood. Elizabeth was strong and fierce, yet she was in a delicate state and he wanted that child. For know he would protect her by keeping her in her chambers until she started to show and would not be able to try running away. Not that she would get far as his ships were the only way off the island, but she was cunning enough to impersonate a male sailor.He could offer her a good and save life without danger. Why could she not see that? He had to make her realize that. She could escape, but what then? The pirates were history and those that had unfortunately escaped would have a hard time evading the overpowering presence of the Royal Navy and the East India Trading Company. She would not be able to support herself and eventually be forced into prostitution and Elizabeth was a high born and he would not let her get down that path. She had to see that.With him she could have all the things she wanted, except her freedom from him. He enjoyed her fierce company way too much and he hoped that he would get more than one child from her after the one she was currently carrying. How he would live without his nightly pleasures for the next few months he had no idea, but it seemed that his hand would get rather busy indeed.Thinking about Elizabeth he admonished himself and reminded himself to think about something else or the servants would see tell-tale sign of arousal. He could not control himself. Until he had met Elizabeth no woman had been able get him worked up like that and he had been close to lose his countenance earlier. But it only proved what she was capable of doing to him. She was unlike any woman he had met before and he had been offered women as wives before, but no union had been able to further his standing and the women offered to him had been plain and boring.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, I just realized that I mixed the two last chapters up and forgot to add the real chapter 12 in which something quite significant happened. So, that's why I deleted the two chapters and put them in the correct order.

Elizabeth was sleepily lying on her right side in her soft feathery bed, listened to the raging storm rattling her window shutters. It was early afternoon, but she knew that as soon as she would try to get up from the bed she would feel queasy again. It almost seemed that after becoming aware of her condition her symptoms had intensified and any plan of escaping her husband's little reign went out of the window. Well, she had dozens of well-planned escape plans in her mind, yet her body or rather the little one inside her seemed to have other plans. She was barely able to keep her food down. They even brought it up to her after Beckett had heard that she was unable to get down to the dining room for breakfast. It seemed that he really wanted that little one. Elizabeth had hoped that after moving back into her father's manor, he would leave her alone to let her sleep on her own in her little save reign. But unfortunately, this hope had been dashed the second night. He had ordered another thorough examination for any hidden weapons, which had come empty except for her hair dagger, which had been handed down to her through her mother's line. After that he had resumed sleeping next to her during the night, holding her in firm embrace, exploring her stomach for any changes before falling asleep behind her back.

She could hear rhythmic barely audible taps on her wooden parquet floor and smiled knowingly. Her husband may have found all her stored weapons, but he had no idea that two little friends of her exciting pirating past had survived and apparently decided on a whim to live with her and were keeping her company while being locked away in her own house. It had been quite a surprise when she had woken from her slumber only to look up into the little fluffy face of Jack and Cotton's parrot which she know simply called Cotton. She had shrieked and then hysterically laughed which had caused her chamber maid Mary, to run worriedly into her chambers. Well, it had been good to know that her maid had a key to her chamber.

Maybe she could nick it and escape when the time was right. But she preferred to get her trust and persuade her to go to the smithy and let the smith create a twin to her key.Why the two little troublemakers where not bored yet where beyond her, but she was glad for their company and suspected that they "haunted" the manor. Especially, since Mary, had once hesitantly asked if something had been haunting the house before the Governor's death. She had denied it of course but had casually mentioned that Lord Cutler had gone against pirates, who had liberated a heathen goddess and worked together with the captain of the cursed ship the Dutchman. Although she knew it was unfair to her superstitious maid, she had insinuated that there was every chance of the dead haunting her husband as the Dutchman had, according to legends, been responsible to bring those that had died at sea to the land of the dead. As the cursed ship had been destroyed, those poor souls where now doomed to walk Earth for all eternity. She didn't know if this was true, but she assumed that Calypso would find a way for them to reach the land of the dead. In her human form Calypso had cared deeply for those they had encountered on their way back from the locker. She had seen it in her eyes. She was sure that the goddess would find a way to get those poor souls to rest.

But it could help her if their personnel avoided her husband. Maybe she could even use this to her advantage in the future for escaping. Well, she had laid the groundwork for this now.Her husband was still locking her in. At night the parrot would sleep perched on the highest curtain rod while Jack had funnily claimed the crib for his own. Luckily her husband didn't look into it otherwise he would have realized that something was already sleeping in it. Once or twice she had played with the idea of telling him to look into the crib just to startle him, but as she could not predict what he would do to Jack she had not gone through with it. She wasn't sure if the little capuchin would give it up so easily after her little one would be born.She slowly exhaled and brushed over her stomach again and detected a slight bulb which made her situation even more real. She was scared and had nobody to talk to except her two companions and those two seemed quite intelligent for animals.

She remembered her mother's laboured screams when she had given birth to her little brother as she had impatiently waited with her pasty nervous father in the next room. Would it hurt giving birth? The way her mother had screamed it had seemed that way. How would a baby be able to get out of her? She could not quite picture it. Was there some secret she did not know? How would she know when it was time to give birth? What if she lost the child? Would she feel it? She was terrified of giving birth to Beckett's spawn, but also of losing it. Was there something she should be aware of ensuring the wellbeing of her unborn? Maybe her aunts book wouldn't have been such a bad idea now, but unfortunately, she had incinerated it back in England. She could ask Beckett to write to her aunt and ask for advice, but that information would take way to long to reach her. It could very well happen that she asked for advice and the response would come after she had given birth. Maybe there were other women who she could ask for advice. The only female she knew having two children was the kitchen maid Molly, but she had no idea if she still worked for Beckett.

She heard fluttering and spotted Cotton sitting on her headboard. "Hello, pretty. Ja. Hello, pretty." He greeted her, and she raised her hand and petted his feathery chest as she couldn't reach his head and the colourful bird gently nibbled on her finger with his strong beak. With a slight plop the little capuchin landed on her bed and snuggled closer to her and she used her other hand to pet him and felt him cuddle closer.With her condition escape was not possible at the moment, but maybe she would find an opportunity soon after. She could not give up hope. She needed to find away back to her family. Even if it meant giving up her home at Port Royal. Beckett may be the most powerful person in the East India Trading company, but he was not the only director of the company after all.Hearing the monkey's breath even out she slowly drifted off into sleep again. Whatever those two had been up to, it had clearly exhausted the little monkey. She would find out anyway.

* * *

 

In the male quarters of the manor Beckett was fuming that the storm disrupted his daily schedule. No ships were able to set sail and it was much to dangerous for him to get into his office of the East India trading company. Instead he was confined to his own manor. If Elizabeth weren't expecting he knew what he would use the day for, but she was currently resting. It seemed that her pregnancy had finally caught up with her and she was going through the sickly phase. Last night he had finally been able to detect a slight swell of her body and he had felt joyous.It finally became real. She was carrying his child under her heart. His first. He was becoming a father. Elizabeth didn't realize it, but when she had fallen asleep she would lean her back closer into him as if to support herself and he liked it. She smelled so divine and inviting that he had begun to get up earlier to take care of his probing problem each morning. With the birth of their child she would finally be fully his and although he worried about her continuous nausea he also was glad for it as it prevented her from any ill-conceived escape plans.He even had asked the doctor, who had examined Elizabeth after the executions about the best midwife on the island. He needed the best for his wife. Too many things could happen if the midwife was incompetent. He had seen it often enough with his mother. She had lost too many of his younger siblings that were born after him. Two had survived the first few months only to suddenly lie cold in their crib. One of those siblings had even been born blind due to the sickness his father had brought upon his mother.The manor had been well renovated, but for some reason the superstitious personnel was avoiding him more than usual,complaining about scary voices, dark shades and strange inexplicable happenings. It sounded too alike what had happened on his flag ship. The rumour among them, according to Mercer, was that whatever had supposedly haunted his ship had followed him into the manor. But so far, he had not been able to confirm any of it.

Yes, he had seen mysterious things, creatures of legend, but most of the time there were rational explanations for happenings and there needed to be one now. The source of the explosions was still unknown, but he was confident that he would get to the bottom of it.He considered buying house slaves again for greater efficiency in the house and it would certainly cost less money in the long run. He did have some before in other places where he had been stationed by the East India Trading Company. But from reading her journals, he knew Elizabeth's fierce stance against slavery. He had even found evidence that she had been in correspondence with Quakers, who advocated strongly against slavery, yet there was no indication that she was one. Everything pointed in the direction of her being an Anglican, like her father.

Her distaste of slavery was something she had in common with Jack Sparrow, who had almost cost him the chance of getting his lordship, when he had liberated his cargo destined for Lord Reginald Marmaduke Bracegirdle-Penwallow's plantation.To say that he had become displeased with him was an understatement. After that infuriating incident he had needed to work twice as hard and gain Lord Reginald's trust again. But he had succeeded. His arduous work had finally paid of. He was on the board of directors and even the chairman, which was unusual as the chairman traditionally dwelled in London. He only hoped that he wouldn't need to return there too soon. He suddenly choked on his tea and coughed when the thought hit him. The board of directors could not order him anytime soon to come back. He had just renovated the manor at his own expense.

Elizabeth would not be able to travel back to England in her current state. Let alone oversee the packing. He would be forced to travel alone and probably miss the birth of his firstborn. That was something he did not want to miss. And it could play in his wife's favour and she could vanish after the child would be born. No, they could not order him back anytime soon!He just needed to make sure that everything he did brought back more money for the company. With the fast-risen interest in coffee and the countless coffee houses which had sprung up in England, he contemplated if he should build coffee plantations on the island. The climate seemed to be perfect for it and if done properly they wouldn't be that dependent on their former suppliers. And he could use it to argue for an extended stay as he would need to oversee this project personally. Yes. He nodded he would start arrangements for this as soon as this nasty tropical storm would be over.


	14. Chapter 14

Beckett wrinkled his forehead. It was still an hour until midnight. Carefully he closed his ledger; he had been working on and put it on the shelf. He strained his ears. Something was in the air, that he couldn’t put a finger on it. It was eerily silent apart from the ticking of his clock. Elizabeth’s condition had bettered slightly, and she wasn’t as nauseous, and her belly had grown significantly. And yet he feared for her. He had heard that expecting women were radiant and while there was no doubt that she was a beauty that he almost couldn’t resist. Her eyes had dulled over the last few months. They were losing that fiery light that he had come so accustomed to. That he loved. The tiles of the stairs creaked as he ascended them towards her quarters. They would need replacing. Sadness seemed to have become her constant companion now. More than once had he found her crying while sleeping during the night and yet she hadn’t responded at all at his inquiries. He had to wake her up when she had trembled with nightmares calling out to her former fiancé, to her father, to her mother, her brother and random names that he had recognized as those of her fellow pirate comrades. And those nightmares had become more frequent lately.

Mercer had told him that the entire town was praying for her wellbeing. Something that had surprised him. It wasn’t often that the local populous cared about the governors or their families. But for some reason, they loved his wife. It could have something to do that she had often snuck out to learn about local customs and interacting with them. At least that was what he had been able to discern from her diaries. And the fact that she had wanted to marry a lowly Blacksmith, effectively rejecting her high position in favour of one of their own. He still was glad that he had thwarted those plans.

Beckett turned the key to her chambers but was surprised when he already found it unlocked. His heart plummeted. Which chambermaid had left this unlocked?! If he found out which one, he would let her go. Elizabeth wasn’t in any condition to flee, especially not as she was due soon if his calculations were correct. But that didn’t mean that she would try something that could endanger her or her unborn child. Becket quickly slipped in and tiptoed towards her bed, hoping to find her sleeping sideways into it. Yet,.. He gulped. The bed was vacant! No Elizabeth! He cursed. Where was she?

“Elizabeth!” he bellowed out. But received no answer. He promptly checked all the rooms for any signs for her, but they all were equally unoccupied. On her dresser, he detected remnants of destroyed necklaces. Pearls lying on it as if she had destroyed them on purpose on the dark wood. His heart skipped a beat! What had she done? Where was she? Why hadn’t he been informed about any change in her demeanour? Beckett quickly ran unceremoniously out of her quarters calling out to the steward of his house and received no answer. He frantically called out to any servant. Again, nobody answered. He cursed!

What was happening?! Yes, he knew it was still New Year’s Eve, but that didn’t mean that they could simply ignore his orders. This was worrisome! Where was she? Where were all of them?

Angrily he descended to the servant’s quarters. This was unbecoming of his position. A lord never went down to those quarters. It was an honour to work for a lord like him. The personnel had to ascend to the house and not the other way around. As he descended the stairs winding down to the lower levels, he noted the dropping temperature. He pinched himself. Had he fallen asleep? This had to be a nightmare. When he reached the ground, his heart thumped widely. There, in the kitchen around the large wooden table, was his household staff, including his steward. Some of them with their head on their arms passed out on the table. Several maids had passed out to the side on the shoulders of the others. Two of his manservants were lying passed out on the floor. Their food seemed untouched albeit he spotted an almost empty bottle of port wine in the middle. That amount of alcohol couldn’t have caused this. It had to have been poisoned. No, he checked their breathing. They hadn’t been poisoned. They had been drugged. He cursed. There was no possibility of waking them. He just hoped that Mercer hadn’t fallen prey to the same drug.

“Mercer!”

* * *

 It was quarter to midnight and Beckett considered giving his personal assistant Mercer a raise if he found Elizabeth unharmed. The man, who he had rudely awoken, had quickly assessed the situation, saddled two horses and now they were galloping through the night towards the beach. According to Mercer, the superstitious locals apparently gathered each year around New Year’s Eve paying tribute to their sea goddess Yemọja. But he had thought that this goddess was a West African one. When he had been stationed at the EIC office of West Africa, he had seen ceremonies honouring her. But had been oblivious that this one was worshipped here as well. As Elizabeth was missing and there was not a chance that she could get off the island, this gathering was her most probable whereabouts.

Had Elizabeth walked all the way or had somebody helped her down the hills. When both men finally reached the beach, his breath hitched. Torches had been lit on the sides leading towards the sea. Everyone was dressed in white garments. Most of the attendants had coloured skin, but some of his own skin colours could also be found watching the festival with shining eyes. They were singing, dancing, bargaining of people buying necklaces of blue and white glass pearls. Children, who should have been in bed at this hour were playing among the crowd. Those who spotted Beckett and his henchman considered him verily and followed his every move. The last thing he wanted was to attract more attention. Even though there were soldiers standing at the edges of the beach watching the happening intently, he wouldn’t dare to disturb their ritual or things could turn very ugly for him very quickly. One of his soldiers saluted and stood attention when he saw Beckett come closer to him.

“We are looking for Lady Beckett,” Mercer told the man whose eyebrows disappeared under his hat in surprise.

“I haven’t seen her personally Sir, but there is a rumour that she’s sitting under one of the palm trees in that area with her companions,” he answered them pointing in the direction.

Beckett stopped holding his breath. So, Mercer’s guess had been correct. She had somehow managed to escape the house to attend a pagan festival. Well, those companions would have to answer to him, and it wouldn’t be pleasant for them. They could have endangered her life and that of his unborn child for that folly. Elizabeth was due at any moment. This was dangerous.

They were meandering through people who walked towards the sea with small wooden boats containing candles, white flowers, shells, sea stones, some boats even had blue and crystalline beats. His heart jumped. Had Elizabeth destroyed two of her necklaces in order to offer a sacrifice to that sea goddess? But he had to admit the mass of small boats in the water with the lit candles floating out towards the sea that was mirroring the large moon in the water was very picturesque. So, he grudgingly had to admit why she might have left the security of her quarters.

“There she is My lord.” Mercer’s harsh accent brought him out of his reverie. He was correct.  There she was and his breath hitched a second time. She was only wearing her nightgown and a blanket around her shoulders. Had his wife lost any sense of decency?! She would be the talk of the town, probably of the entire British empire if anybody of the nobles detected her.  Sitting cross-legged and barefoot in the sand with her back against the trunk of a palm tree. A very familiar parrot was perched on her shoulder and it seemed that she was feeding him some fruit. Her left hand was on her belly. A little capuchin, that also looked fairly familiar jumping around between her and a few playing children who called out to it in joy, before it settled back next to Elizabeth. His wife looked relaxed. Stunning. Beautiful. She seemed so different than the troubled woman he had seen in the last few months. He almost felt bad at intruding here, but it wasn’t safe here for her. Not in her condition. A dark wrinkly woman in white garments slowly trudged up to his wife sitting down next to her patting her on her upper leg. “Thank you for honouring our traditions young Lizzy.”

 ‘Young Lizzy?’ That woman seemed very familiar with his wife. A little bit too familiar for his taste and it certainly wasn’t her place to speak to Elizabeth like that. His wife, however, didn’t seem to mind.

A small smile was ghosting over his wife’s face. “I saw that Yemoja accepted your gifts. You shall have a healthy daughter, but you will have to search your heart to find your love for her.”

“Nobody can tell beforehand if the child is going to be male or female.” he cut in and Elizabeth tensed her smile vanishing. The elderly woman patted her back reassuringly. The little monkey even had the audacity to hiss at him. She petted him and the little capuchin calmed down.

“Mami Wata is the sagest woman on the island. If she says that I am going to have a daughter, then she is right,” she answered him breathlessly. The baby apparently kicking her.

“It isn’t long now. You should better take her home now me lord. When the midday rain comes tomorrow, you will be able to hold your daughter in your arms.” the sage woman prophesized and even though he wanted to dismiss this as nonsense, he reminded him that she just voiced his own concern. Elizabeth was due at any moment and he had no coach ready to bring her back home. And the bedroom in his office wasn’t prepared for her at all. So, he had to take her back to the manor. But most of his household staff was passed out in the kitchen.

A long glance passed between his wife and the elderly woman who brushed tenderly over Elizabeth’s face. “I told you all about what to expect, child. You can do this.”

Elizabeth was weighing heavily in front of him in the saddle, but he refused to give in. Even his black stallion seemed to know the importance of bringing her back safely as he trotted upwards the hill towards the dark mansion. Mercer was grumpily riding next to them probably already planning to interrogate the staff who had not headed his orders and let her escape from the house.

Beckett put his chin behind her right ear, taking a deep breath relishing in her scent. “First thing in the morning will be to find out who let you escape from your quarters. I was worried about finding it empty,” he whispered into her ear and Elizabeth shuddered. He put it down to the soft breeze around them.

“Don’t you dare to do anything to the members of our household.” she grit out. “They have done nothing wrong.”

“Au contraire, my dear,” he whispered darkly. “They let you escape from the house, in your nightgown when you are due any day. They played with your life and that of our unborn child. And that is unforgivable.”

Elizabeth shuddered again, bending forward slightly. “No, it wasn’t their fault.” She gritted out hoarsely. “I wanted to offer the goddess Yemoja a gift and Jack, the little monkey stole the keys from one of my chambermaids. Barbossa must have trained him to do such things.”

“Hm,” he uttered his heart clenching in fear. She still had some kind of connection to her past. That parrot that was circling above their heads and he doubted that that wretched monkey was far behind. He contemplated. The two pets had seemed to be very familiar with his wife. Now that she had admitted that the monkey had stolen her key, that could be the reason for the strange and inexplicable things happening in his manor. He just wanted to shoot the two animals and be done with it, but Elizabeth was secluded from anyone else. Perhaps she had needed the two companions. Well, he had to figure out how to proceed. He could just catch the parrot and the monkey and sell them, but that would probably not help at all. They probably just would find their way back to her. Well, then he had to make sure that they couldn’t carry any dirt or diseases from outside to his wife’s chambers. That meant that somebody had to bath and clean that monkey before it was allowed anywhere near her room. That might be punishment enough for one unfortunate soul.

“Why would you need to bring gifts to a heathen goddess?” he inquired, and Elizabeth tensed again. This time she grunted as if in pain.

“Because this goddess, that they are praying to is, according to their legends the protector of women. She governs everything pertaining to women; childbirth, conception, parenting, child safety, love, and healing. According to myth, when her waters broke, it caused a great flood creating rivers and streams and the first mortal humans were created from her womb.” He snorted in amusement. That was certainly an amusing myth of creation. “Yemoja is described as motherly and strongly protective, and cares deeply for all her children, comforting them and cleansing them of sorrow,” Elizabeth explained hoarsely, tensing again and Beckett began to worry that something already was happening to his wife. Yet he could not start to panic, or his stallion would panic as well and that was the last thing, he needed with Elizabeth sitting in front of him.

“Considering our history with heathen goddesses and monsters, I found it prudent to take precautions and to bring gifts for her.” she ground out and Beckett had to smirk. Well, if she put it that way, it certainly made some sense.

“Just because there was one mythological creature, that was worshipped as a goddess, doesn’t mean that all those gods or goddesses are real, my dear,” he whispered chastising her. “Calypso might have been something else and was worshipped as a goddess.”

“Calypso was real enough to almost sink your ship and other gods or goddesses are real to those who believe in them.” Elizabeth shot back. “Who’s to say which god is real and which isn’t? Who can say that their religion is the true one? Nobody.”

“Hm.” he rumbled in amusement. “Don’t let that hear our priests on the island or they might consider you a heretic my dear.”

“They are perfectly aware of my views.” she shot back groaning as she tensed again. Luckily, he could already see the manor coming into view. They were almost there.

A few moments they rode into the yard and Mercer helped him to heave his wife off his horse.

“With your permission, I will gather evidence that is still available and begin to find the culprit as soon as possible.” he enquired with a dark grin. Beckett considered. Mercer definitely had earned a small raise today. And Beckett definitely needed to better the security of his mansion.

“Permission granted.” he nodded leading Elizabeth through the doors and upwards towards her chambers while Mercer closed the front doors and descended down to the servants’ quarters with a self-assured grin. One that his employer couldn’t see from his position.

With one hand around her hips and one on her soft arms, he helped his wife upwards. One step after the other. She was breathing heavily, a shudder running through her being once in a while.  He lead her through the doors of her quarters and towards her bed.

“Never scare me like that again, Elizabeth.” he admonished her, but she didn’t react and lay down on the cool woollen sheets. She turned towards the side which he knew was her current preferred position as it was easier for her back. There another shudder went through his wife’s body and she grunted.

He quickly sat next to her, reaching towards her belly. The child was very active. He could feel it kick his hand. No wonder, she grunted at that. It was strong and Elizabeth felt that brunt. He tipped twice onto the same spot with his fingertips and it almost seemed like the little one answered as it repeated it twice as well.

“No, stop that you two,” Elizabeth grumbled into her pillow and he couldn’t help but smile. “Trying to get some sleep here before all hell breaks loose in a few hours.”


End file.
